らいおん
raioneveryday
In hiragana, "lion" is らいおん (raion). An older word, しし (shishi), is used for the lion in traditional art and festivals.
Meaning: lion (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| らいおん | raion | everyday |
| しし | shishi | traditional |
Which one should you use?
らいおん (raion) is the animal you see in a zoo. しし (shishi) appears in the lion dance ししまい (shishimai) and in guardian statues called こまいぬ (komainu).
How do you pronounce it?
Say らいおん as "rye-on", with the ん (n) closing the word.
When do people say it?
Animal names borrowed from other languages, such as ライオン, are normally written in katakana. The hiragana form らいおん is how learners and children often see it first.
Did you know?
- The Japanese word ししまい (shishimai) refers to a lion dance performed at New Year and at shrine festivals to bring good luck.
Examples in context
- どうぶつえんで らいおんを みました。Dōbutsuen de raion o mimashita.I saw a lion at the zoo.
- らいおんは つよい。Raion wa tsuyoi.Lions are strong.
- おまつりで ししまいを みた。Omatsuri de shishimai o mita.I saw a lion dance at the festival.
Example conversation
Mei and her father Mr. Kimura look at the animals at the zoo.
- Meiおとうさん、らいおんだよ！Otōsan, raion da yo!Dad, it is a lion!
- Mr. Kimuraおおきいね。Ōkii ne.It is big.
- Meiこわいけど かっこいい。Kowai kedo kakkoii.Scary but cool.
