獅子
Meanings
1
Refers to the animal lion. In modern Japanese, ライオン is more common in everyday speech, but 獅子 is used in traditional contexts, idioms, and set phrases.
See also: ライオン
The lion is called the king of beasts.
The lion dance is a traditional New Year's performance.
2
left-hand guardian lion-dog at a Shinto shrine
Specifically the left-hand stone guardian (often with open mouth) of a pair at Shinto shrines. The right-hand one is called 狛犬. Also related to 唐獅子 imagery.
At the shrine entrance, the lion-dog and the komainu guard the worshippers.
Usage patterns
- 獅子が吼えるthe lion roars
The lion roared loudly.
Expressions
- 獅子に鰭making something strong even stronger; adding fins to a lion
- 獅子の子落としtesting one's children by putting them through hardship
- 獅子は我が子を千尋の谷に落とすspare the rod, spoil the child; let your children face hardships to grow