Shih

Shih is an historical romanization of the Mandarin syllable shi, often associated with the word for lion. In Chinese, the character for lion is 獅 in traditional script and 狮 in simplified script. The Wade-Giles system renders this syllable as “shih,” whereas modern pinyin uses “shi.” The spelling Shih therefore appears in older English-language texts and in some transliterations of Chinese names and terms.

Shih also functions as a surname romanization in English-language sources, especially in Taiwan and among older documents. It can correspond to several different Chinese characters, most commonly 史 (history), 石 (stone), or 时/時 (time). In modern pinyin these would typically be written Shi.

Shih Tzu refers to a small toy dog breed developed in China as a companion for the court and nobility. The name is often translated as “lion dog” (shi = lion, tzu = dog or child). The breed is known for its long coat and compact size and is recognized by major kennel clubs worldwide.

Beyond these uses, “Shih” appears in transliterations of place names and historical terms in older texts, reflecting its role as a transliteration variant rather than a standalone concept.