NetChai Chinese

How to Say “Rabbit” in Chinese

兔子
tùzi
Rabbit
A woman carefully holds a small rabbit in her arms, showing its soft fur, illustrating “rabbit” in Chinese: 兔子 (tùzi)

兔子 (tùzi) is the common everyday word for “rabbit” in Mandarin Chinese. It refers to the animal itself.

What does 兔子 (tùzi) mean?

兔子 (tùzi) means “rabbit” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “rabbit (with suffix).”

When to use it

Neutral and suitable for all everyday contexts. When referring to the Chinese zodiac animal, the character 兔 (tù) is used without the 子 suffix, as in 兔年 (Year of the Rabbit) or 我属兔 (My zodiac sign is the Rabbit).

How to pronounce it

Sounds like “TOO-dzuh.” The first syllable has a falling tone, and the second is a light, neutral tone.

Other ways to say it

  • 兔tùrabbit (as in the zodiac animal)
  • 小兔子xiǎo tùzilittle rabbit (often endearing)
  • 野兔yětùhare / wild rabbit

Examples

我喜欢兔子，它们很可爱。
wǒ xǐhuan tùzi, tāmen hěn kě'ài.
I like rabbits, they are very cute.
这只兔子跑得真快！
zhè zhī tùzi pǎo de zhēn kuài!
This rabbit runs really fast!
今年是兔年。
jīnnián shì tùnián.
This year is the Year of the Rabbit.
Pro tip: Remember that 兔子 is the animal, while 兔 is used for the zodiac sign, as in 兔年 (Year of the Rabbit) or 我属兔 (My zodiac sign is the Rabbit).

Related phrases

牛 · Ox老虎 · Tiger蛇 · Snake

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