Chinese Nursery Rhymes for Language Learning145


Chinese nursery rhymes, known as 儿歌 (érgē), are a delightful and educational way to introduce children to the beauty and nuances of the Chinese language. They are short, rhyming poems that often tell stories or describe everyday experiences, making them easy for young learners to understand and enjoy.

Here is a curated collection of classic and popular Chinese nursery rhymes to help your little ones embark on their language learning journey:

小星星, 小星星

闪闪亮, 闪闪亮

就像天上, 一颗颗

眨着眼, 眨着眼

Translation:
Twinkle, twinkle, little star

How I wonder what you are

Up above the world so high

Like a diamond in the sky

Language Focus: Repetition, rhyming

小燕子, 穿花衣

年年春天来这里

我问燕子你为啥来

燕子说, 这里的春天最美丽

Translation:
Little swallow, dressed in flowers

Every spring, you come here

I asked the swallow, why do you come?

The swallow replied, spring here is the most beautiful

Language Focus: Question-and-answer format, seasonal vocabulary

两只老虎, 一只没有耳朵

一只没有尾巴

真奇怪, 真奇怪

Translation:
Two tigers, one without ears

One without a tail

How strange, how strange

Language Focus: Numbers, body parts, humor

拔萝卜, 拔萝卜

嘿哟嘿哟拔萝卜

大根萝卜小孙孙

拔呀拔呀拔萝卜

Translation:
Pulling the radish, pulling the radish

Heave ho heave ho pulling the radish

Big white radish, our little grandchild

Pull it, pull it, pull the radish

Language Focus: Rhythm, onomatopoeia

大头儿子和小头爸爸

一对好朋友, 形影不离

大头儿子, 圆圆脑袋

小头爸爸, 尖尖脑袋

Translation:
Big-head son and small-head dad

A pair of good friends, inseparable

Big-head son, with a round head

Small-head dad, with a pointed head

Language Focus: Character description, family relationships

小蜗牛慢慢的爬

爬上大树去找黄鹂

黄鹂问小蜗牛

你爬那么高干什么

小蜗牛说黄鹂姐姐

我爬那么高就是为了看你

黄鹂听得咯咯笑

小蜗牛, 你真傻

Translation:
The little snail climbs slowly

Climbing up the big tree to find the oriole

The oriole asks the little snail

Why do you climb so high?

The little snail says, oriole sister

I climb so high because I want to see you

The oriole laughed out loud

Little snail, you're so silly

Language Focus: Dialogue, animal vocabulary

小白兔, 白又白

两只耳朵竖起来

蹦蹦跳跳真可爱

小白兔, 白又白

Translation:
Little white rabbit, so white

Two ears standing up

Hopping and jumping, so cute

Little white rabbit, so white

Language Focus: Animal description, repetition

一闪一闪小星星

挂在天上放光明

好像许多小眼睛

眨呀眨呀看着我

Translation:
Twinkle, twinkle, little star

Hanging in the sky, shining bright

Like many little eyes

Winking at me

Language Focus: Repetition, personificationIncorporating these nursery rhymes into your child's language learning routine can boost their vocabulary, foster their appreciation for Chinese culture, and spark their love for learning.

2025-01-29


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