sher

IPA/ʃeə(r)/
KK[ʃˈɚ]IPA/ʃer/

sher — noun

1. the word used in classical South Asian poetry to name a large feline predator, s

1.名詞C2
釋義

the word used in classical South Asian poetry to name a large feline predator, such as a lion or a tiger, often as a symbol of strength and royalty

例句

In the old poem, the warrior was compared to a sher, fearless and strong.

literary simile: compared to a sher

Nora read aloud from the epic, her voice rising when she reached the word 'sher'.

同義詞
  • lion

    the common English word; 'sher' is exclusively literary

  • tiger

    the everyday term; 'sher' can refer to either species in poetry

文法句型

a sher

the sher

用法筆記

This sense is confined to poetic or elevated prose contexts, particularly within Urdu and Hindi literary traditions. It does not appear in everyday spoken English.

常見錯誤

We saw a sher at the zoo.
We saw a lion at the zoo.
💡'sher' is poetic, not the ordinary word for a zoo animal.

2. someone who is praised for showing great bravery or strength of character, liken

2.名詞C2
釋義

someone who is praised for showing great bravery or strength of character, likened to a lion or tiger; the term is common in South Asian communities as a compliment

例句

After Apinya rescued a child from the burning building, the neighbours called her a sher.

grammar pattern: call + [person] + a sher

Yan's grandmother used to say that a true sher never backs down from a challenge.

collocation: true sher

同義詞
  • hero

    more general and widely understood; 'sher' carries specifically South Asian cultural resonance

  • lion

    used figuratively in English ('a lion of a man'); 'sher' is the Urdu/Hindi equivalent

反義詞
  • coward

    the opposite in terms of bravery

文法句型

call [someone] a sher

a real sher

用法筆記

Used as a term of high praise within South Asian cultural contexts. The person being praised is called a sher by others; it is not typically used as a self-description.

常見錯誤

I am a sher because I faced my fear.
The whole village called him a sher after he saved the drowning boy.
💡'sher' is a title given by others, not a self-claim.