pandas
pandas — noun
- pandassingular
- pandasesplural
1. a large animal with thick black-and-white fur that lives in the mountain forests
a large animal with thick black-and-white fur that lives in the mountain forests of central China and eats almost nothing but bamboo shoots
Marco learned that wild giant pandas live only in a few bamboo forests in China.
collocation: giant pandas live in bamboo forests
The zookeeper watched the panda pull fresh bamboo shoots into its enclosure.
Megan and their class adopted a panda through a wildlife protection program.
Tariro showed their younger brother a picture of a panda mother carrying her cub.
Pandas spend about twelve hours each day eating bamboo to get enough energy.
- giant panda
the full name used in formal or scientific writing
- panda bear
common in informal speech, though technically redundant
用法筆記
In everyday conversation, 'panda' alone almost always refers to the giant panda. If you need to distinguish it from the red panda, say 'giant panda'.
常見錯誤
2. a small reddish-brown animal with a long bushy tail and a pointed face, found in
a small reddish-brown animal with a long bushy tail and a pointed face, found in the forests of the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, that eats bamboo, berries, and insects
Nora spotted a red panda climbing a tall tree at the wildlife park.
collocation: spotted a red panda
Liang read that red pandas wrap their tails around themselves to stay warm in cold weather.
Tariq watched the red panda sniff at a bowl of apples before picking one up.
Mateo learned that red pandas are smaller than house cats and weigh about five kilograms.
Conservation groups work to protect red pandas because their forest habitat is disappearing quickly.
- lesser panda
older, less common name mainly found in scientific literature
- red cat-bear
an informal nickname used occasionally, but rare in everyday English
用法筆記
Red pandas are not a type of giant panda — they belong to their own family (Ailuridae). Despite the shared name, the two species are not closely related. 'Red panda' is the clear common name; avoid calling it just 'panda' in formal or science contexts to prevent confusion.