鼠

• Pinyin: shǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 鼠 = pictograph of a mouse with head, body, feet, and tail

Meaning

Mouse; rat. A small rodent, also the first animal in the Chinese zodiac.

Refers to mice and rats. In Chinese culture, the rat/mouse is the first of the twelve zodiac animals, associated with quick-wittedness and resourcefulness. People born in the Year of the Rat include those born in 1984, 1996, 2008, and 2020. Also appears in compound words like 鼠标 (mouse for computer).

Examples

1. 今年是鼠年，很多家庭都添了鼠宝宝。 This year is the Year of the Rat, and many families have had Rat babies.
2. 这只猫连老鼠都不敢抓，太胆小了。 This cat doesn't even dare to catch mice — it's too timid.
3. 他属鼠，今年本命年。 He was born in the Year of the Rat, and this year is his zodiac year.

Usage Guide

Context: zodiac, animals, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你属什么？我属鼠。(What's your zodiac sign? I'm a Rat.)
• 家里进老鼠了。(A mouse got into the house.)

Don't Say

• 像鼠一样 as a compliment — rodent comparisons are typically negative in Chinese (胆小如鼠 = cowardly)

Origin & History

Pictograph depicting a mouse with a long tail, whiskers, and body. One of the oldest Chinese characters.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal