Xiao Mao Lu (Little Donkey) is one of many Chinese children’s songs that I grew up singing long before I learned a single word of English. It’s a cute little tune that’s easy to sing and play. I wonder if it has been translated into other languages. This catchy little tune is one in a collection of popular Chinese songs I am arranging and transcribing for the ukulele. I will share and show this song at Three Chord Thursday Year of the Ox on 18th February 2021.
To be able to sing the song in Chinese, you’ll need to read pinyin. “you” is pronounced “yo” not “you.” The c actually sounds like an s while q sounds like your ch. The ch sounds like tr in the word true.
The not so obvious bit is the pronunciation of c, ch, q, x, zh and zi. Here are some useful pages to introduce the sounds to make from reading pinyin.
- Center for Teaching English as a Foreign Language
- Mandarin Chinese Pinyin Chart with Audio
- Chinese Taught in Plain English
- Chinese Pronunciation Guide for the Complete Beginner
The song is usually repeated because it is so short and fast.
I’ve simplified it for anyone who can read notes or tablature.
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