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虎口 (hǔ kǒu) — webbing between the thumb and index finger; jaws of death; a very dangerous situation

Definition

Literally 'tiger's mouth'. Used literally for the skin webbing between thumb and index finger, and figuratively (e.g. 虎口脱险) to mean a deadly, very dangerous situation — escaping 'from the tiger's jaws'.

noun
webbing between the thumb and index fingerjaws of deatha very dangerous situation
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 虎口。
    hǔ kǒu De wèi zhì zài mǔ zhǐ hé shí zhǐ zhī jiān.
    The webbing is between the thumb and index finger.
  • 虎口。
    Tā zhè cì zhēn shì hǔ kǒu táo shēng.
    He really escaped from the jaws of death this time.
  • 虎口，。
    Cóng hǔ kǒu lǐ bá yá, tài wēi xiǎn le.
    Pulling a tooth from the tiger's mouth is too dangerous.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

虎hǔtiger
口kǒumouth

A 虎's mouth is a dangerous place, and the 口 between thumb and finger is also called this.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

虎 originally drew a tiger's head. Its body disappeared, and the legs and tail became the lower part.

Open 虎 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 口 looks like an open mouth.

Open 口 →
Appears in
Body PartsSafety & Danger

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