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獅 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
獅shīlionx, 13 strokes, radical 犭
shī(shi1) T1
  1. 1lion
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

獅shī(shi1)

The character 獅 (shī) means 'lion,' a large, powerful feline known for its strength and social behavior. It is commonly used in contexts related to wildlife, symbolism, and cultural references, such as the lion dance in Chinese festivals. The character emphasizes the majesty and importance of lions in both nature and mythology.

Strokes13Radical犭
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, lions are often associated with power and protection, commonly seen in lion dance performances during celebrations like the Lunar New Year. The lion is also a symbol of bravery and strength in traditional Chinese art.

Memory Tip

Think of the character 獅 as a lion with its mane flowing. The left side, 犬 (the dog radical), hints at its animal nature, while the right side, 斯, can evoke the sound 'shī' when pronounced. Imagine a lion roaring, 'Shī!' to remember its sound and meaning.

Meanings of 獅

shī(shi1)
1lion
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 獅

獅Simplified
13Strokes
犭Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 獅

JasonAmy

Podcast: 獅

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 獅

Quick Contrast

狮 (shī) vs 豹 (bào) — use 獅 for 'lion' specifically, while 豹 refers to 'leopard'.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 獅 with similar sounding characters like 师 (shī) meaning 'teacher.' It is generally used in formal contexts or when discussing animals. Common collocations include 獅子 (shīzi) which means 'lion' in a more general sense.

HSK Study Tips

Although 獅 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be beneficial for learners at HSK 4 or above who may encounter it in literature or discussions about wildlife. Students should focus on recognizing the character and its pronunciation when reading texts related to animals.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 獅 (shī) with similar sounding characters, leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '獅子' (shī) instead of '獅子' (shīzi) when referring to a lion is incorrect; always use the full term for clarity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 獅

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Etymology of 獅

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 犭 represents the meaning and 师 represents the sound. Simplified form of 獅.

Memory Hint

animal

Semantic (meaning)犭
+
Phonetic (sound)師
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 獅

Phonosemantic compound. 犭 represents the meaning and 师 represents the sound. Simplified form of 獅.

  1. 1The meaning half犭 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half師 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayanimal
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 獅? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 獅?

Decomposition of 獅

IDS Structure⿰犭師
獅Full Character
=
犭quan3
left
師shi1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 獅?

How to say lion in Chinese

“lion” in Chinese is獅shī

The character 獅 (shī) means 'lion,' a large, powerful feline known for its strength and social behavior. It is commonly used in contexts related to wildlife, symbolism, and cultural references, such as the lion dance in Chinese festivals. The character emphasizes the majesty and importance of lions in both nature and mythology.

When to use 獅

Be careful not to confuse 獅 with similar sounding characters like 师 (shī) meaning 'teacher.' It is generally used in formal contexts or when discussing animals. Common collocations include 獅子 (shīzi) which means 'lion' in a more general sense.

獅 or something close to it

狮 (shī) vs 豹 (bào) — use 獅 for 'lion' specifically, while 豹 refers to 'leopard'.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 獅 (shī) with similar sounding characters, leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '獅子' (shī) instead of '獅子' (shīzi) when referring to a lion is incorrect; always use the full term for clarity.

Write 獅

獅

Practice writing 獅 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 獅

Words Containing This Character19
狮子shīziLeo (star sign)獅子
狮子座Leo (constellation and sign of the zodiac)獅子座
狮shīlion獅
狮子狗Pekingese獅子狗
美洲狮cougar美洲獅
海狮sea lion海獅
雄狮male lion雄獅
石狮Shishi county level city in Quanzhou 泉州[Quán​zhōu], Fujian石獅
舞狮lion dance (traditional Chinese dance form)舞獅
石狮市Shishi county level city in Quanzhou 泉州[Quán​zhōu], Fujian石獅市
狮子头lit. lion's head獅子頭
狮身人面像sphinx獅身人面像
狮子山Sierra Leone (Tw)獅子山
狮城Lion city, nickname for Singapore 新加坡[Xīn​jiā​pō]獅城
河东狮吼lit. the lioness from Hedong roars (idiom)河東獅吼
狮泉河Sengge Tsangpo or Shiquan River in west Tibet, the upper reaches of the Indus獅泉河
金狮奖Golden Lion, award at the Venice Film Festival金獅獎
狮子山区Shizishan district of Tongling city 銅陵市|铜陵市[Tóng​líng​shì], Anhui獅子山區
小狮座Leo Minor (constellation)小獅座
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 狮子 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 獅

It is pronounced as 'shī' with a high level tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 獅?

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