ユキヒョウ
yukihyō
The English phrase "snow leopard" is translated into Japanese as ユキヒョウ (yukihyō).
ユキヒョウ refers to the large feline mammal, Panthera uncia.
Meaning: a large feline mammal, ''Panthera uncia'' (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of ユキ (yuki) meaning "snow" and ヒョウ (hyō) meaning "leopard".
How do you pronounce it?
yukihyō
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the word for 'snow' in ユキヒョウ, which is ユキ, can also be used as a common female given name, though it is rare to see the two meanings connected.
- In Japanese pop culture, the ユキヒョウ is often depicted with an aura of invisibility or 'ghost-like' qualities, reflecting the animal's nickname as the 'Ghost of the Mountains'.
- The kanji for leopard 豹 contains the radical for 'beast' 豸, which is used across Japanese for various clawed or scaled creatures, not just felines.
Examples in context
- ユキヒョウはとても美しい動物です。Yukihyou wa totemo utsukushii doubutsu desu.Snow leopards are very beautiful animals.
- 動物園でユキヒョウを見ました。Doubutsuen de yukihyou o mimashita.I saw a snow leopard at the zoo.
- ユキヒョウの毛はとても厚いです。Yukihyou no ke wa totemo atsui desu.A snow leopard's fur is very thick.
Example conversation
Two siblings are looking at a nature documentary on TV.
- 陽葵 Himariあのユキヒョウ、かっこいいね！Ano yukihyou, kakkoii ne!That snow leopard is so cool!
- 陽太 Yota本当だ。動きがすごく速いよ。Hontou da. Ugoki ga sugoku hayai yo.You're right. Its movements are really fast.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太くん、ユキヒョウってどこに住んでいるの？Youta-kun, yukihyou tte doko ni sunde iru no?Youta, where do snow leopards live?
- 陽太 Yota高い山の上に住んでいるらしいよ。Takai yama no ue ni sunde iru rashii yo.I heard they live high up in the mountains.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ユキヒョウ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
