ライオン
raion[ɾa̠iõ̞ɴ]
The Japanese word for lion is 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 term refers to the big cat Panthera leo.
Which one should you use?
The katakana form ライオン is the standard, everyday way to refer to the animal in modern Japanese. The kanji form 獅子 is more formal or literary and is often used in contexts like mythology, traditional art or classical literature.
How do you pronounce it?
raion
When do people say it?
The term 獅子 is frequently encountered in the context of the traditional Japanese lion dance known as 獅子舞 (shishimai).
Did you know?
- The kanji in 獅子 actually contains a diminutive suffix, meaning the original Chinese construction literally translated to 'little lion'.
- In Japanese culture, the 獅子 is often depicted as a mythical creature with features that differ from real lions because the animals were not native to Japan.
- While ライオン refers to the animal, the kanji 獅子 is used for the guardian statues found at the entrances of Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples.
Examples in context
- ライオンです。It's a lion.This sentence is useful for identifying an 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 stating a metaphorical title for ライオン.Tatoeba #192675 by KK_kaku_, translation #29839 by CK
- 石像の獅子は寺院の入り口を護っています。The stone lion guards the entrance of the temple.
- ライオンの雄は壮麗なたてがみを持っています。The male lion has a magnificent mane.
- 46 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a zoo, two friends are looking at an enclosure.
- 大翔 Hirotoあそこにライオンがいるよ。Asoko ni raion ga iru yo.There is a lion over there.
- 美咲 Misaki本当だ、かっこいいライオンだね。Hontou da, kakkoii raion da ne.You're right, it's a cool lion.
- 大翔 Hiroto美咲はライオンが好き？Misaki wa raion ga suki?Misaki, do you like lions?
- 美咲 Misakiうん、大好きだよ！Un, daisuki da yo!Yes, I love them!
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.
