<h3>English &quot;panda&quot;</h3>
<p>While in modern English &quot;panda&quot; generally refers to the <em>giant</em> panda, the word <a href="https://archive.org/details/HistoirenaturelVGeof/page/LII/mode/2up" rel="nofollow noreferrer">originally</a><sup>1</sup> referred only to the <em>red</em> panda. Since the giant panda eclipsed the red panda in popular culture, &quot;panda&quot; became more associated with the larger animal and the smaller took the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retronym" rel="nofollow noreferrer">retronym</a> &quot;lesser/common panda&quot; or &quot;red panda&quot;.<sup>2</sup></p>
<ul>
<li><code>nepali</code> ponya <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_panda#Native_names" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[disputed]</a>
<ul>
<li><code>fr</code> panda
<ul>
<li><code>en</code> panda
<ul>
<li>red panda</li>
<li>giant panda → panda</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Chinese &quot;bear cat&quot;</h3>
<p>A similar evolution of terms happened in the modern Chinese words for panda, where 熊貓 originally referred only to the red panda, but (when prefixed with 小/大) became a term for both the red and giant panda (since the original Chinese words for giant panda had apparently fallen out of use):</p>
<ul>
<li><code>ch</code> 熊貓 <em>xióngmāo</em> &quot;bear cat&quot;
<ul>
<li>小熊猫 <em>xiăoxióngmāo</em> &quot;small bear cat&quot;</li>
<li>大熊貓 <em>dàxióngmāo</em> &quot;big bear cat&quot;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Other older names for the giant panda include:</p>
<ul>
<li>花熊 <em>huāxióng</em> &quot;spotted bear&quot;</li>
<li>竹熊 <em>zhúxióng</em> &quot;bamboo bear&quot;</li>
</ul>
<h3>Chinese &quot;<em>Mo</em>&quot;</h3>
<p>A different confusion happened with one of the (theorised) old Chinese words for the giant panda, 貘 (<em>mo</em>). This word (like many wild animal names in antiquity) was also used for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mo_(Chinese_zoology)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">certain mythical creatures</a>.<sup>3</sup> The term's presumed meaning of &quot;giant panda&quot; fell out of common use until a western biologist encountered its historic use describing the mythical <em>mo</em>, and noting its [coincidental] similarity to a tapir, assumed it was a word for a Chinese tapir. This zoological usage then spread back to China:</p>
<ul>
<li><code>ch</code> 貘 &quot;giant panda&quot;
<ul>
<li><code>ch</code> 貘 &quot;Chinese chimera&quot;
<ul>
<li><code>en</code> mo &quot;Chinese tapir&quot;
<ul>
<li><code>ch</code> 貘 &quot;Chinese tapir&quot;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Other antiquated terms possibly describing the giant panda include (referring to legendary black and white tiger/leopard/cat/bears):</p>
<ul>
<li>貔貅 <em>pixiu</em></li>
<li>騶虞 <em>zouyu</em></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<ol>
<li>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/bWgkS.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/bWgkS.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a>
<sup><a href="https://archive.org/details/HistoirenaturelVGeof/page/LII/mode/2up" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>Histoire naturelle des mammifères : avec des figures originales, coloriées, dessinées d'aprèsdes animaux vivans</em></a>, (1824)</sup></p>
</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=red+panda+%2B+lesser+panda%2Cgiant+panda%2Cpanda+-+%28red+panda+%2B+lesser+panda+%2B+giant+panda%29&amp;year_start=1800&amp;year_end=2019&amp;corpus=26&amp;smoothing=3" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/BpnJ4.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a><br />
<sup><a href="https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=red+panda+%2B+lesser+panda%2Cgiant+panda%2Cpanda+-+%28red+panda+%2B+lesser+panda+%2B+giant+panda%29&amp;year_start=1800&amp;year_end=2019&amp;corpus=26&amp;smoothing=3" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Google Ngrams</a></sup></p>
</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/8vT7U.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/8vT7U.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a>
<sup><em>Journal asiatique</em>, (1824); <em>William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings</em>, (1819-1823)</sup></p>
</blockquote>
</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-05T22:21:18.120Z
2020-12-06T20:42:33.000Z
2020-12-06T20:42:33.000Z
大胳膊雅各布
<p>My opinion, that &quot;nigalya ponya&quot; is better explanation for Pony horse or for N-word, but for Panda? Even my quick thinking is more logical IMHO :which is panda? - fat (pang) and big (da) pang da- 胖大，or maybe just fat with part 的 pang de</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-11T13:52:51.477Z
2023-05-11T13:52:51.477Z
Viktor M
<p>I think <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/Why-is-the-panda-called-so/articleshow/2225965.cms" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this article</a> answers your question..</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>Why is the panda called so?</strong></p>
<p>The origin of the name panda is the Nepalese word 'nigalya ponya', which means 'eater of bamboo'. As used in the West, it was originally applied to the red panda, to which the giant panda was thought to be related.</p>
<p>Until its relation to the red panda was discovered in 1901, the giant panda was known as the mottled bear (Ailuropus melanoleucus) or partly-coloured bear. In Chinese, the giant panda is called the 'large bear cat'.</p>
<p><strong>— Mayank Lavania, recd via e-mail</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>FYI, below is the red panda. I didn't know until now.</p>
<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ToYLq.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></p>
<p>For people interested in the origin of 熊貓, check this <a href="http://melances.pixnet.net/blog/post/161391068-%E6%98%AF%E7%86%8A%E8%B2%93%E9%82%84%E6%98%AF%E8%B2%93%E7%86%8A%EF%BC%9F%E5%88%86%E9%A1%9E%E7%9A%84%E6%AD%B7%E5%8F%B2%E6%95%85%E4%BA%8B" rel="nofollow noreferrer">blog entry</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2015-05-22T20:51:47.797Z
2019-05-18T05:27:34.437Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Thomas Hsieh
<p>If pandas are from China and in Chinese they are called 熊猫 ("bear cat"), where did the word "panda," as seen in most western languages, come from?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-22T18:08:59.057Z
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/panda#Etymology  From French panda, apparently from a local language in Nepal.
user6065
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-04T09:40:11.537Z
During the period of Republic of China (1911-1949) and even now in Taiwan (part of China according to the UN), this animal was and is called 猫熊 (cat bear).
NanningYouth
<etymology>
Where did the word "panda" come from?
# Where did the word "panda" come from?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-05-22)

If pandas are from China and in Chinese they are called 熊猫 ("bear cat"), where did the word "panda," as seen in most western languages, come from?

**Tags:** etymology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/panda#Etymology  From French panda, apparently from a local language in Nepal.  
> **username_2**: During the period of Republic of China (1911-1949) and even now in Taiwan (part of China according to the UN), this animal was and is called 猫熊 (cat bear).  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2015-05-22. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

I think [this article](http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/Why-is-the-panda-called-so/articleshow/2225965.cms) answers your question..

> **Why is the panda called so?**
>
> The origin of the name panda is the Nepalese word 'nigalya ponya', which means 'eater of bamboo'. As used in the West, it was originally applied to the red panda, to which the giant panda was thought to be related.
>
> Until its relation to the red panda was discovered in 1901, the giant panda was known as the mottled bear (Ailuropus melanoleucus) or partly-coloured bear. In Chinese, the giant panda is called the 'large bear cat'.
>
> **— Mayank Lavania, recd via e-mail**

FYI, below is the red panda. I didn't know until now.

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/ToYLq.jpg)

For people interested in the origin of 熊貓, check this [blog entry](http://melances.pixnet.net/blog/post/161391068-%E6%98%AF%E7%86%8A%E8%B2%93%E9%82%84%E6%98%AF%E8%B2%93%E7%86%8A%EF%BC%9F%E5%88%86%E9%A1%9E%E7%9A%84%E6%AD%B7%E5%8F%B2%E6%95%85%E4%BA%8B).


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-12-05. Score: 6

### English "panda"

While in modern English "panda" generally refers to the *giant* panda, the word [originally](https://archive.org/details/HistoirenaturelVGeof/page/LII/mode/2up)1 referred only to the *red* panda. Since the giant panda eclipsed the red panda in popular culture, "panda" became more associated with the larger animal and the smaller took the [retronym](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retronym) "lesser/common panda" or "red panda".2

* `nepali` ponya [[disputed]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_panda#Native_names)
  + `fr` panda
    - `en` panda
      * red panda
      * giant panda → panda

### Chinese "bear cat"

A similar evolution of terms happened in the modern Chinese words for panda, where 熊貓 originally referred only to the red panda, but (when prefixed with 小/大) became a term for both the red and giant panda (since the original Chinese words for giant panda had apparently fallen out of use):

* `ch` 熊貓 *xióngmāo* "bear cat"
  + 小熊猫 *xiăoxióngmāo* "small bear cat"
  + 大熊貓 *dàxióngmāo* "big bear cat"

Other older names for the giant panda include:

* 花熊 *huāxióng* "spotted bear"
* 竹熊 *zhúxióng* "bamboo bear"

### Chinese "*Mo*"

A different confusion happened with one of the (theorised) old Chinese words for the giant panda, 貘 (*mo*). This word (like many wild animal names in antiquity) was also used for [certain mythical creatures](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mo_(Chinese_zoology)).3 The term's presumed meaning of "giant panda" fell out of common use until a western biologist encountered its historic use describing the mythical *mo*, and noting its [coincidental] similarity to a tapir, assumed it was a word for a Chinese tapir. This zoological usage then spread back to China:

* `ch` 貘 "giant panda"
  + `ch` 貘 "Chinese chimera"
    - `en` mo "Chinese tapir"
      * `ch` 貘 "Chinese tapir"

Other antiquated terms possibly describing the giant panda include (referring to legendary black and white tiger/leopard/cat/bears):

* 貔貅 *pixiu*
* 騶虞 *zouyu*

---

1. > [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/bWgkS.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/bWgkS.jpg)
   > [*Histoire naturelle des mammifères : avec des figures originales, coloriées, dessinées d'aprèsdes animaux vivans*](https://archive.org/details/HistoirenaturelVGeof/page/LII/mode/2up), (1824)
2. > [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/BpnJ4.png)](https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=red+panda+%2B+lesser+panda%2Cgiant+panda%2Cpanda+-+%28red+panda+%2B+lesser+panda+%2B+giant+panda%29&year_start=1800&year_end=2019&corpus=26&smoothing=3)  
   > [Google Ngrams](https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=red+panda+%2B+lesser+panda%2Cgiant+panda%2Cpanda+-+%28red+panda+%2B+lesser+panda+%2B+giant+panda%29&year_start=1800&year_end=2019&corpus=26&smoothing=3)
3. > [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/8vT7U.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/8vT7U.jpg)
   > *Journal asiatique*, (1824); *William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings*, (1819-1823)


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2023-05-11. Score: -1

My opinion, that "nigalya ponya" is better explanation for Pony horse or for N-word, but for Panda? Even my quick thinking is more logical IMHO :which is panda? - fat (pang) and big (da) pang da- 胖大，or maybe just fat with part 的 pang de


---

