Chinthe

Chinthe (Burmese: ခြင်္သေ့ (IPA: [tɕʰɪ̀ɰ̃ðḛ]); Mon: ဇာဒိသိုၚ် ([cɛ̀atìʔsaŋ]); Shan: သၢင်ႇသီႈ ([sàːŋ si])) is the Burmese word for 'lion'. The leograph of Chinthe is a highly stylized lion commonly depicted in Burmese iconography and architecture, especially as a pair of guardians flanking the entrances of Buddhist pagodas and kyaung (or Buddhist monasteries).