lion

lion — noun

1. A very large wild cat with short yellow-brown fur. Male lions grow a thick mane

1.名詞A2
釋義

A very large wild cat with short yellow-brown fur. Male lions grow a thick mane of hair around the neck and head. They live in groups called prides and are found mainly in Africa, with a small population living in India.

例句

Talia spotted a pride of lions resting under an acacia tree during the safari.

collocation: pride of lions

The lion let out a deep roar that echoed across the valley at dawn.

文法句型

a/the lion

lions (plural)

pride of lions

用法筆記

Lions are the only cats that live in organized social groups called prides. A pride typically includes several related females, their cubs, and a small number of adult males.

常見錯誤

❌I saw a lion in India last week.
✅I saw a lion in a wildlife park in India last week.
💡Wild lions today are almost entirely found in Africa; the small Indian population lives only in the Gir Forest.

2. A person widely admired for their fame, success, or influence in a particular ar

2.名詞B2
釋義

A person widely admired for their fame, success, or influence in a particular area of work or society — for example, a lion of the art world or a literary lion whose novels have won major prizes.

例句

After winning the Booker Prize, Jenna became a lion of the literary world.

pattern: a lion of [field]

Darius was treated like a lion wherever he went in the business community.

同義詞
  • giant

    Emphasizes huge influence and lasting impact; more informal than 'lion' — 'a giant of modern architecture'

  • icon

    Suggests symbolic importance and broad cultural recognition — 'a fashion icon'

  • legend

    More informal and suggests an almost mythic status — 'a living legend in jazz music'

  • celebrity

    Focuses on fame from media attention rather than respected achievement — 'a Hollywood celebrity'

反義詞
  • nobody

    Informal term for an unimportant person — 'She went from a nobody to a lion of the industry.'

文法句型

a lion of [field]

the lion of [group]

用法筆記

Frequently used in the construction 'a lion of [field/domain]' (e.g. 'a lion of the opera', 'a literary lion'). This sense does NOT mean a brave person — to describe courage, use phrases like 'as brave as a lion' or 'lion-hearted'.

常見錯誤

❌She fought like a lion in the final match.
✅She is a lion of the tennis world, with three Grand Slam titles.
💡The figurative sense of 'lion' on its own means a person of importance and success, not someone who fights bravely.