Translation guide
The animal 'leopard' is ヒョウ in Japanese. This entry covers the animal itself and common figurative uses like 'a leopard can't change its spots.'
ヒョウ
leopard (animal)
Referring to the large spotted cat, Panthera pardus.
The standard Japanese word for leopard. Often written in katakana, but the kanji is 豹.
動物園でヒョウを見た。
I saw a leopard at the zoo.
ヒョウは木の上で休んでいた。
The leopard was resting in the tree.
The kanji for leopard. Used in formal or written contexts, or in compound words.
豹はネコ科の動物です。
The leopard is a feline animal.
Expressing the idea that a person's fundamental character cannot be changed, as in the proverb 'a leopard cannot change its spots.'
A common Japanese proverb meaning 'the soul of a child of three is the same at 100,' equivalent to 'a leopard can't change its spots.' Used to say that a person's basic nature doesn't change with age.
彼は昔と変わらず短気だ。三つ子の魂百までだね。
He's as short-tempered as ever. A leopard can't change its spots, I guess.
A direct translation of the English proverb. Understandable but not idiomatic in Japanese; used mainly when explicitly referencing the English saying.
This is a literal translation and sounds unnatural in normal conversation. Use the Japanese proverb instead.
「豹はその斑点を変えられない」ということわざがある。
There's a proverb that says 'a leopard can't change its spots.'
When you want to say 'a leopard can't change its spots' in Japanese, use 三つ子の魂百まで (みつごのたましいひゃくまで). It's a well-known saying and will sound much more natural than a direct translation.