5 Essential Chinese Songs that Chinese Kids Know
What are essential Chinese songs and rhymes that Chinese kids grow up singing, the equivalent of songs like “Wheels on the Bus”?
Engaging in children’s songs and rhymes in a second language provides an enjoyable method for acquiring the sounds and rhythms of that language. Singing these songs not only helps with learning but also fosters a positive relationship with the language—often, laughter accompanies the singing as kids and families sing together.
Curious about popular and lighthearted Chinese songs and rhymes from her childhood, we consulted our Taiwanese manager, who recommended these five essential ones that teach the days of the week in Chinese, counting in Chinese, the seasons in Chinese and the weather in Chinese!
Give them a try and sing along with your children!
The Song for Learning The Days of Weeks: 星期歌（Xīngqí gē）
Lyrics, Composition: Anonymous
星期一，猴子穿新衣（Xīngqī yī, hóuzi chuān xīn yī）
Monday, the monkey wears new clothes
星期二，猴子肚子饿（Xīngqī èr, hóuzi dùzi è）
Tuesday, the monkey is hungry
星期三，猴子去爬山（Xīngqī sān, hóuzi qù páshān）
Wednesday, the monkey goes mountain climbing
星期四，猴子去考试（Xīngqī sì, hóuzi qù kǎoshì）
Thursday, the monkey goes for a test
星期五，猴子去跳舞（Xīngqī wǔ, hóuzi qù tiàowǔ）
Friday, the monkey goes dancing
星期六，猴子去遛遛（Xīngqī liù, hóuzi qù liù liù）
Saturday, the monkey goes for a walkabout
星期日，猴子过生日（Xīngqī rì, hóuzi guò shēngrì）
Sunday, the monkey celebrates its birthday
The Song for Learning to Count: 數蛤蟆（Shǔ hámá）
Lyrics, Composition: Sichuan Folk Song
一只青蛙一张嘴（Yì zhī qīngwā yì zhāng zuǐ）
A frog with one mouth,
两个眼睛四条腿（liǎng ge yǎnjīng sì tiáo tuǐ,）
Two eyes, four legs,
乒乒乓乓跳下水！（Pīng pīng pāng pāng tiào xià shuǐ）
Hop hop jump into the water!
蛤蟆不吃水，太平年（Hámá bù chī shuǐ, tàipíng nián）
Toads don’t eat water in peaceful years
蛤蟆不吃水，太平年（Hámá bù chī shuǐ, tàipíng nián）
Toads don’t eat water in peaceful years
荷儿梅子兮，水上飘（Hé ér méi zǐ xī, shuǐ shàng piāo）
Lotus and plum blossoms, drifting on the water
荷儿梅子兮，水上飘（Hé ér méi zǐ xī, shuǐ shàng piāo）
Lotus and plum blossoms, drifting on the water
The Song for Learning To Count With Fingers: 五指歌（Wǔzhǐ gē）
Lyrics, Composition: Anonymous
一二三四五，上山打老虎（Yī èr sān sì wǔ, shàngshān dǎ lǎohǔ）
One, two, three, four, five, climb up the mountains to the tigers
老虎打不到，打到小松鼠（Lǎohǔ dǎ bú dào, dǎ dào xiǎo sōngshǔ）
Didn’t beat the tigers, but got the little squirrels
松鼠有几个？让我数一数（Sōngshǔ yǒu jǐ ge? Ràng wǒ shǔ yì shǔ）
How many squirrels are there? Let me count,
数来又数去（Shǔ lái yòu shǔ qù）
Counting forwards and backwards
一二三四五（Yī èr sān sì wǔ）
One, two, three, four, five
The Song for Learning Weather Terms: 下雨歌（Xià yǔ gē）
Lyrics, Composition: Anonymous
淅沥淅沥，哗啦哗啦（Xīlì xīlì, huālā huālā）
Drip, drip, splash, splash
雨下来了（Yǔ xià lái liǎo）
The rain is falling
我的妈妈，拿着雨伞来接我（Wǒ de māmā, ná zhe yǔsǎn lái jiē wǒ）
My mom, holding an umbrella, comes to pick me up,
淅沥淅沥，哗啦哗啦，啦啦啦！（Xīlì xīlì, huālā huālā, lālālā!）
Drip, drip, splash, splash, la la la!
The Song for Learning the Seasons: 春神來了（Chūn shén lái liǎo）
Lyrics: Shen Binglian (沈秉廉) Composition: German Nursery Rhyme
春神来了怎知道？（Chūn shén lái liǎo zěn zhīdào?）
How do we know when the God of Spring has arrived?
梅花黄莺报到（Méihuā huáng yīng bàodào）
Plum blossoms and yellow orioles make their debut
梅花开头先含笑（Méihuā kāitóu xiān hánxiào）
Plum blossoms smile as they bloom,
黄莺接着唱新调（Huáng yīng jiēzhe chàng xīn diào）
Yellow orioles follow, singing a new tune
欢迎春神试身手（Huānyíng chūn shén shì shēnshǒu）
Welcome the God of Spring to show its skills
来把世界改造（Lái bǎ shìjiè gǎizào）
And transform the world.
Even if the words are initially unfamiliar, children gradually grow accustomed to the language’s rhythm and the texture of its words in a stress-free manner.
Learning songs that many children in the target language grew up singing also enables kids to immerse themselves in the culture.
When your kids meet someone who shares that language background, they can bond over singing these familiar songs together!
