Good Characters, Inc. Blog

Among the Chinese there is much confusion about the most appropriate word for panda. Both Mao Xiong and Xiong Mao are commonly used. The character Mao means cat. Xiong (pronounced shee-ong) is a bear. Since the giant panda is a mammal classified in the bear family. Mao Xiong, literally a cat-looking bear (cat bear), is more appropriate than Xiong Mao, bear-looking cat (bear cat).

Links:

• Giant Panda From Wikipedia
  The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca “black-and-white cat-foot”) is a mammal classified in the bear family, Ursidae, native to central and southern China.
• The correct name for Xiong Mao is Mao Xiong (Chinese)
  熊猫的正确名字应是猫熊