Nature and animals in Chinese
The Chinese word for "nature and animals" is 自然 (zì rán). Below are 38 Chinese words for nature and animals, each with pinyin, English and its level in the new HSK 3.0 word list. They cover HSK 2 to HSK 7-9, in the order a learner meets them.
Nature & Environment HSK 3 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 草 | cǎo | grass; straw; manuscript | 3 |
| 树 | shù | tree | 3 |
| 花 | huā | flower; to spend | 2 |
| 河 | hé | river | 3 |
| 太阳 | tài yang | sun | 3 |
| 月亮 | yuè liang | the moon | 3 |
| 云 | yún | cloud | 4 |
| 动物 | dòng wù | animal | 3 |
| 熊猫 | xióng māo | panda | – |
| 鸟 | niǎo | bird | 2 |
| 环境 | huán jìng | environment | 3 |
Environment & protection HSK 4 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 污染 | wū rǎn | to pollute; to contaminate (lit. and fig.) | 4 |
| 保护 | bǎo hù | to protect | 4 |
| 植物 | zhí wù | plant | 4 |
| 森林 | sēn lín | forest | 4 |
| 空气 | kōng qì | air | 4 |
| 垃圾桶 | lā jī tǒng | rubbish bin | – |
| 塑料袋 | sù liào dài | plastic bag | – |
| 增长 | zēng zhǎng | to grow | 4 |
Animals & nature HSK 5 lesson
Nature, Landscape & Wild Animals HSK 5 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 岸 | àn | (river/lake/sea) bank, shore | 6 |
| 彩虹 | cǎi hóng | rainbow | 6 |
| 池子 | chí zi | pond | – |
| 大象 | dà xiàng | elephant | 5 |
| 岛 | dǎo | island | 6 |
| 地震 | dì zhèn | earthquake | 5 |
| 钓 | diào | to fish (with a hook) | – |
| 鸽子 | gē zi | pigeon | 7-9 |
| 果实 | guǒ shí | fruit (of a plant) | 5 |
| 蝴蝶 | hú dié | butterfly | 5 |
| 狼 | láng | wolf | 6 |
| 老鼠 | lǎo shǔ | rat, mouse | 6 |
| 龙 | lóng | dragon | 5 |
| 陆地 | lù dì | dry land | 5 |
Every word links to its dictionary entry, with audio, example sentences and stroke order. The words are grouped by the GraphChinese lesson that teaches them, so a few in each group belong to the lesson and sit a little outside the topic.
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- family
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Frequently asked questions
How do you say "nature and animals" in Chinese?
自然 (zì rán), meaning "nature". The most common words in this topic are 草 (cǎo, grass), 树 (shù, tree), 花 (huā, flower), 河 (hé, river).
How many Chinese words for nature and animals do I need?
This page lists 38, from HSK 2 to HSK 7-9. The 11 at the top are enough to start; the rest follow level by level.
What do the HSK levels on this page mean?
Each word shows where the new HSK 3.0 word list places it, from level 1 to the 7-9 band. A dash means the word is taught in the course and is not on the HSK 3.0 list. HSK 3.0, complete.
How do I pronounce these words?
The pinyin beside each word gives the sound and the tone. Each word links to its dictionary entry, where you can hear it. If the tone marks are new to you, start with the four tones, explained.
GraphChinese teaches these words in dependency order, with audio, and only moves on when each one is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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