ヒョウ
hyō
The Japanese word for leopard is ヒョウ (hyō).
ヒョウ refers to the large wild cat with a spotted coat, Panthera pardus.
Meaning: a large wild cat with a spotted coat, Panthera pardus (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
hyō
Did you know?
- In Japanese pop culture, the 'leopard print' associated with ヒョウ is often linked to the 'yankee' or delinquent subculture, symbolizing rebellion and toughness.
- While ヒョウ is the name for the leopard, the Japanese word for the panther, パンサー, is often used in fashion contexts to describe leopard-print patterns.
- Because 'leopard' is a foreign concept that entered through specific scientific channels, it is almost always written in katakana rather than kanji in modern daily life.
Examples in context
- あれはヒョウなの？Is that a leopard?This example shows how to use ヒョウ in a question.Tatoeba #8831854 by bunbuku, translation #6106420 by CK
- トムの素早さはヒョウ並だ。Tom is as fast as a leopard.This sentence illustrates using ヒョウ to make a comparison regarding speed.Tatoeba #994750 by mookeee, translation #680260 by Source_VOA
- Mari-san: あの動物を見てください！
Takeshi-san: ああ、それはヒョウですね。Mari: Please look at that animal!
Takeshi: Ah, that's a leopard. - Yumi-chan: あっ、あの木の上にリスがいますよ！
Sora-kun: リス？ いや、あれはヒョウだよ。Yumi: Look, there's a squirrel on that tree!
Sora: A squirrel? No, that's a leopard.
Example conversation
Two people are watching a nature documentary at home.
- 結衣 Yuiあのヒョウ、かっこいいですね。ano hyō, kakkoii desu ne.That leopard is cool, isn't it?
- 蓮 Ren本当だ、動きがとても速いね。hontō da, ugoki ga totemo hayai ne.You're right, its movements are very fast.
- 結衣 Yui蓮さんは動物が好きなんですか？Ren-san wa dōbutsu ga suki nan desu ka?Ren, do you like animals?
- 蓮 Renはい、特に野生の猫が好きです。Hai, tokuni yasei no neko ga suki desu.Yes, I especially like wild cats.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ヒョウ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
