リス

リ

ス

Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

noun

squirrel

usually written using kana alone

General term for any squirrel (family Sciuridae).

公こう園えんでリスが木きの実みを食たべている。
A squirrel is eating nuts in the park.

noun

Japanese squirrel

usually written using kana alone

Specifically the Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis), a species native to Japan. Often distinguished as ニホンリス in scientific contexts.

Usage patterns

リスが木きの実みを集あつめるa squirrel gathers nuts
リスは冬ふゆに備そなえて木きの実みを集あつめる。
Squirrels gather nuts in preparation for winter.
リスが木きに登のぼるa squirrel climbs a tree
リスが素す早ばやく木きに登のぼっていった。
The squirrel quickly climbed up the tree.

Kanji

栗chestnut
鼠rat, mouse, dark gray

Don't confuse with

シマリス sense 1
リス covers squirrels in general, while シマリス refers specifically to the smaller, striped chipmunk.
ムササビ sense 1
リス is a tree squirrel that runs and jumps, whereas ムササビ is the Japanese giant flying squirrel that glides using a skin membrane.
リス
栗鼠 (also written リス) means 'squirrel' and is completely unrelated to the rare specialist word リス meaning 'fracture' or 'lithograph', despite sharing the same reading and often the same katakana spelling.

Counted with

匹ひきN3
counter for small animals · counter for rolls of cloth · archaic counter for horses · roll of cloth

Word family· 7

リスザル
squirrel monkey
キタリス
red squirrel; Eurasian red squirrel
ジリス
ground squirrel
リスモドキ
tree shrew
シマリス
chipmunk; Siberian chipmunk

Show 2 more

ニホンリス
Japanese squirrel
ボリビアリスザル
black-capped squirrel monkey

Written forms

リスUsage74%
kana-only spelling
Katakana is the most common spelling for this animal name.
りすUsage19%
Hiragana spelling is also used, especially in children's materials.
栗鼠りすUsage7%
Kanji spelling is rare and literary; the word is usually written in kana.

Etymology

The reading developed from the Tang-style Sino-Japanese reading りっす of 栗鼠, the Chinese compound for “squirrel.” The modern spelling リス reflects the later reduced pronunciation.