ライオン
raion[ɾa̠iõ̞ɴ]
The English word "lion" is translated into Japanese as ライオン (raion). Wiktionary also lists 獅子 (shishi).
Meaning: big cat Panthera leo (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ライオン | raion | [ɾa̠iõ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
| 獅子 | shishi | [ɕi̥ɕi] (narrow) |
The word refers to the big cat Panthera leo.
Which one should you use?
ライオン is the standard and most common way to refer to the animal in everyday conversation and scientific contexts. In contrast, 獅子 is a more literary form used in the context of traditional art, mythology or specific cultural symbols.
How do you pronounce it?
raion
When do people say it?
In Japanese, a lion is often referred to by the epithet 百獣の王 (hyakujū no ō), which means "king of a hundred beasts," similar to the English expression "king of the jungle."
Did you know?
- The term 獅子 (shishi) comes from Middle Chinese and uses a diminutive suffix, suggesting the original imported concept might have been for a small or symbolic creature.
- While ライオン is a loanword from English, the native Japanese word 獅子 describes a creature that didn't exist in Japan, based on ancient descriptions from mainland Asia.
- Japanese guardian statues known as 狛犬 (komainu) are often paired as a lion-dog and a mythical beast, with the 獅子 typically representing the lion.
Examples in context
- ライオンです。It's a lion.This sentence is useful for identifying the animal using ライオン.Tatoeba #11052363 by small_snow, translation #10086478 by Cabo
- ライオンが人を襲った。The lion attacked the person.This sentence is useful for describing an action involving ライオン.Tatoeba #12975728 by small_snow, translation #13664235 by terrywallwork
- ライオンは百獣の王です。The lion is the king of beasts.This sentence is useful for using the epithet for ライオン.Tatoeba #192675 by KK_kaku_, translation #29839 by CK
- アフリカにはたくさんのライオンが生息しています。Many lions inhabit Africa.
- 最近、動物園で可愛いらいおんの赤ちゃんを見たよ。I recently saw a cute lion cub at the zoo.
- 昔々、ししの王国に勇敢な戦士が現れた。Once upon a time, in a lion's kingdom, a brave warrior appeared.
- 46 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Kenta are at the zoo.
- 結衣 Yuiあそこにライオンがいるよ！Asoko ni raion ga iru yo!Look, there is a lion over there!
- 健太 Kenta本当だ。とても大きいね。Hontou da. Totemo ookii ne.You're right. It's very big.
- 結衣 Yuiライオンのたてがみがかっこいい。Raion no tategami ga kakkoii.The lion's mane is cool.
- 健太 Kentaそうだね。迫力があるなあ。Sou da ne. Hakuryoku ga aru naa.I agree. It's so powerful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lion” translations and entries ライオン, 獅子, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ライオン, 獅子, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
