How to Pronounce Chinese IP Names: LABUBU, Hirono, Mulan & More

You’ve seen the fuzzy creatures, read the captions, half-guessed the names — and you’re not alone. Chinese IP is everywhere in 2026, but its names are a minefield for English speakers. LABUBU or “Lafufu”? Hirono how? And does anyone actually say “SKULLPANDA” the Chinese way?

Good news: Chinese names are written in pinyin, a phonetic romanization system. Once you learn about six letter rules, you can pronounce almost any name on a blind box, museum card, or movie poster. Here’s the dirty little secret of how to do it right — and have fun doing it.

The Pinyin Rule Sheet (6 Letters That Change Everything)

Before we get to the IPs, memorize these six rules. They do 90% of the work. 来源：UCSD, “Pronouncing Romanized Mandarin”

• Q sounds like English CH — never like “kew.”
• X sounds like English SH — never like “eks.”
• C before a vowel sounds like TS (as in “hats”).
• J sounds like English J in “jingle” — never the French soft “j.”
• R is somewhere between an American R and a rolled gentle “zh.”
• I after c, s, z, zh, ch, sh, r is mostly silent (a vowel-height marker, not an “ee”).

And critically: “yan”/“ian” sound like English “yen” — not “yon.” 来源：UCSD Pronunciation guide

The Hit IPs — Pronounced Properly

Now let’s apply it. Here’s a table for the names you’ll meet everywhere.

LABUBU – “LAH-boo-boo”

The world’s most-mispronounced plush. The Chinese name is 拉布布 Lābùbu. The “Labubu vs. Lafufu” confusion is pure phonetic drift — people heard “bu” as “fu,” and the fake “Lafufu” name is trademark-nonsense that no official material uses. 来源：MDBG dictionary, 拉布布 Lābùbu · 来源：Alibaba Smart Buy

Say it with three even-ish syllables, slight stress on the first: LAH-boo-boo. Then read our full Labubu guide for the story behind the name.

HIRONO – “hee-ROH-noh” (not “Hy-ro-no”)

Tricky one: HIRONO is not a pinyin word. It’s a romanized brand name by the Chinese artist behind Pop Mart’s melancholic “little child” figure. In China the IP is branded as 小野 Xiǎoyě (“little wild/field”). So: the English sticker is “hee-ROH-noh,” and if you want to impress locals, try “shyow-YEH.” 来源：Pop Mart 2025 年报 (HIRONO小野)

SKULLPANDA

Just an English-ish brand name (“skull-panda”) with no Chinese pinyin equivalent in general use — the artist uses the stylized romanization. Pronounce it exactly as it reads. 来源：Pop Mart 官方

Mulan – “MOO-lahn”

木兰 Mùlán — pinyin “Mùlán,” two clear syllables, falling then rising: MOO-lahn. The “u” is rounded, not “myoo.” That’s the name on Disney’s heroine and a thousand hanfu references.

Chang’e – “CHAHNG-uh”

嫦娥 Cháng’é (the moon goddess). The ang should resonate like “ah-ng” and e is a short “uh.” So CHAHNG-uh — say “chang” with a full “ng,” then drop the neutral “uh.” 来源：Oxford CTCFL pinyin notes

Guan Yu – “GWAN YOO”

关羽 Guān Yǔ — “Guan” is “gwan” (like “one” with a g), not “goo-an.” The second syllable Yǔ is a high-ish dipping “yoo.” Say GWAN YOO and you’ve honored China’s most-revered warrior correctly.

Tones: Why “Ma” Means 4 Different Things

Mandarin is tonal. The same syllable changes meaning by pitch: mā (mother), má (hemp), mǎ (horse), mà (scold). For names, you don’t need to master tones to be understood — but recognizing the four tone marks (ā á ǎ à) helps you get the shape of a name right. 来源：Legacy Name Guide · 来源：UCSD

• First tone (¯) — high, flat, like holding a note.
• Second tone (ˊ) — rising, like a question.
• Third tone (ˇ) — dipping down then up.
• Fourth tone (ˋ) — sharp fall, like a command.

A useful feel: many famous names mix tones to sound “musical” — Mùlán (4-2), Cháng’é (2-2), Guān Yǔ (1-3).

Useful Words: qipao & hanfu

• qipao 旗袍 qípáo — “chee-pao” (Q = CH, so not “kee”). 来源：UCSD
• hanfu 汉服 hànfú — “hahn-foo”, both simple, level-ish tones.

Want the deeper cultural side of these garments? Our qipao vs. cheongsam vs. hanfu explainer clears up the terminology once and for all.

The Cheat-Sheet Rules to Carry

1. Q = CH, X = SH, C = TS. Half of China’s IP names obey these.
2. “ian/yan” = “yen.” Say “yen,” never “yon.”
3. Don’t trust English reflexes on Q, X, J, R.
4. Brand romanizations (Hirono, Skullpanda, Molly, Crybaby) aren’t pinyin — say them as the brand intends, and only switch to Chinese if you’re showing off.

If you’ve got a shelf full of these, use this as your Rosetta Stone — then go back and re-read our full guide to the designer-toy universe knowing you can finally say what you collect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it “Labubu” or “Lafufu”? Labubu. “Lafufu” is a mishearing spread on social media and often used by counterfeit sellers; no official Pop Mart material uses it. Say LAH-boo-boo. 来源：Alibaba Smart Buy

Do I need to learn all four tones to say names well? No — recognition helps, but for casual use, getting Q/X/C and “ian” right will get you 90% of the way there and Chinese speakers will happily understand. 来源：Legacy Name

Why does the same word sound different in different cities? China has many dialects (Cantonese, Hokkien…), but standard Mandarin pinyin — what these names use — is uniform. Stick to pinyin and you’re fine. 来源：UCSD

Sources

• UCSD — Pronouncing Romanized Mandarin (complete pinyin guide)
• MDBG — 拉布布 Lābùbu dictionary entry
• Ali Express Smart Buy — It’s Labubu, Not Lafufu
• Pop Mart 2025 Annual Report (HIRONO小野 brand naming)
• Legacy Name — Mandarin Tones & Chinese Name Pronunciation
• Oxford CTCFL — Pinyin Notes
• Pop Mart Official — character roster