What is a KiRin?

Here’s one explanation, although I’m sure Melody has something much better.

One of the most magnificent and admired of creatures in the legends of the East is the Kirin. Not to be confused with the Japanese word for giraffe, kirin are different entirely. While they have at times been compared to the Western unicorn, they are not entirely the same. It is said that kirin are indeed horselike, and some may have the tail of an ox, but unlike unicorns they also have scales. Depending on the story they may have some scales or be covered in them entirely. In the traditional legends, only the male of the species is gifted with a horn, which is usually one but may be several. Typically kirin have magnificent manes and tails.

Like many other such creatures who may have origins in China, the male and female at one point had different specific names: the males were known as ki and the females were known as rin. It is more popular now, and more widely understood, to refer to them by the single term of kirin.

Kirin can speak the languages of humans easily, and some have been said to possess telepathy as well. They can sense when someone is telling them the truth as they know it or when someone is willingly trying to mislead them. Kirin, in many stories, are not inclined to help those who willingly mislead them or the people whom they regard as trustworthy or virtuous.

In all legends kirin are extremely gentle and appreciative of all life, careful never to tread upon living things wherever they go. Kirin never take an innocent life, although they may become truly fearsome in order to defend lives. If a wicked creature threatens those considered good by a kirin, that kirin will become a fierce creature indeed to defend them, howling and breathing fire, as well as other mighty abilities that vary from story to story.

HEre are some links. The Kirin (or, ki-rin, or qilin, or kylin) is an ancient mythological creature, like the dragon or unicorn.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qilin

Kirin is also a kind of beer! 😆

I’ve never had it but I have one of their coasters 🙂

Cool name and it sounds like a yummy beer 😀

😆
Nice definition of a kirin, starbreeze. Interesting, how the males and females initially had different names.

Cool, I was wondering the same thing. Mostly pieceful but can kick ass when needed, I like. Thanks starbreeze.

Just adding two cents from someone who knows a fair amount of Japanese.

“Ki-Rin” actually just means “giraffe” in Japanese.

The word Ki-Rin is also not pronounced “ker-rin” as it’s always incorrectly said. The correct way to pronounce it is “key-din” without a terribly huge emphases on the “d”.