ライオン

ライオン is a loanword from English "lion." In Japanese, as in English, the lion is known as 百獣(ひゃくじゅう)の王(おう) (king of beasts).

RELATED TERMS:

• 雄(おす)ライオン: male lion
• 雌(めす)ライオン: female lion (lioness)
• たてがみ: mane
• 群(む)れ: pride (group of lions)
• 子(こ)ライオン: lion cub

KANJI EQUIVALENT:

獅子(しし) is the traditional kanji word for lion, but it is literary and mainly seen in idioms and proper nouns:

• 獅子舞(ししまい): lion dance (traditional New Year performance)
• 獅子(しし)奮迅(ふんじん): fighting with great vigor

NOTE:
In everyday speech, ライオン is the standard word. 獅子(しし) sounds old-fashioned on its own.