ಸಿಂಹ
siṃha/sim.hɑ/
The Kannada word for lion is ಸಿಂಹ (siṃha).
The word refers to the large big cat, Panthera leo.
Meaning: big cat Panthera leo (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /sim.hɑ/. It has two syllables: siṃha.
Did you know?
- The ಸಿಂಹ appears frequently in the stone carvings of Hoysala temples in Karnataka, where it is depicted as a mythical creature protecting the entrance.
- The word ಸಿಂಹ is a direct loan from Sanskrit, meaning it shares an identical root with many other Indian languages like Hindi or Marathi.
- If you see the word ಸಿಂಹ appearing in a person's name, such as 'Simha', it is a traditional way of indicating a strong or noble lineage in South India.
Examples in context
- ಅದು ಗೂಗಲ್ ಚಿತ್ರಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿಂಹವನ್ನು ಹುಡುಕುವುದು ತುಂಬಾ ಸುಲಭ.It is very easy to find a lion in Google Images.
- ನಮ್ಮ ಊರಿಗೆ ಬೇರೆ ಬಗೆಯ ಸಿಂಹಗಳು ಇವೆ.We have different types of lions in our village.
- ಸಿಂಹ ಕಾಡಿನಲ್ಲಿ ವಾಸಿಸುತ್ತದೆ.simha kāḍinalli vāsisuttade.The lion lives in the forest.
Example conversation
Pranav and Kavya are looking at a picture book about animals.
- ಕಾವ್ಯ Kavyaಪ್ರಣವ್, ಈ ಪ್ರಾಣಿ ಯಾವುದು?praṇav, ī praṇi yāvudu?Pranav, which animal is this?
- ಪ್ರಣವ್ Pranavಇದು ಒಂದು ದೊಡ್ಡ ಸಿಂಹ.idu ondu doḍḍa simha.This is a big lion.
- ಕಾವ್ಯ Kavyaಅದಕ್ಕೆ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಕೂದಲು ಇದೆ!adakke doḍḍa kūdalu ide!It has a big mane!
- ಪ್ರಣವ್ Pranavಹೌದು, ಸಿಂಹ ನೋಡಲು ತುಂಬಾ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದೆ.haudu, simha nōḍalu tumbā cennāgide.Yes, the lion looks very beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lion” translations and entries ಸಿಂಹ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ಸಿಂಹ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
