The phrase "If not friend, why friend-shaped?" is a popular internet meme used to question why certain wild animals, especially bears, look cute, cuddly, and friendly ("friend-shaped") despite often being dangerous or not truly friendly. It highlights the contrast between their adorable, "friend-like" appearance—such as round shapes, fluffy fur, small ears, and baby-like features—and their wild, potentially aggressive nature. Scientifically, bears and some other animals look "friend-shaped" due to evolutionary reasons that favor traits like rounded faces, small ears (for heat conservation), fluffy fur, and big eyes, which humans tend to perceive as cute or nurturing. These features trigger nurturing instincts in humans because they resemble babies or domesticated animals like dogs, with whom humans have a long relationship. This appearance helps create an emotional connection, even though these animals remain wild and potentially dangerous. In summary, the phrase questions why certain animals have evolved to look friendly and cute when they are not actually friends or safe to approach. It is both a humorous and semi- serious reflection on how humans perceive animal appearances versus their true behavior and nature.