Additional information about 豹
說文解字: 【豹】，似虎，圜文。从豸、勺聲。 【北敎切】
- Criteria
- FELINE
There is no general concept for felines. Commonly mentioned felines are these:
1. By far the most common feline in ancient Chinese literature is the hǔ 虎 "tiger". See TIGER.
2. Bào 豹 refers to the leopard who has also captured the ancient Chinese imagination.
3. Lí 狸 and māo 貓 refer to lithe small wild-cat-like creatures, possibly badgers, and the inclusion here is tentative to say the least.
4. Shī zǐ 獅子 refers to the lion, but the lion was largely unknown in China.
NB: The lion was not known in ancient China and is first mentioned in Eastern Han times by Xún Yuè 荀悅.