纸老虎 (zhǐ lǎo hǔ) — paper tiger (something that seems dangerous but is actually weak)

Definition

A set phrase (from Mao's famous essay) for something that looks threatening but is actually weak — usually used for people, regimes, or threats that 'can't withstand a real test.'

noun
paper tiger (something that seems dangerous but is actually weak)

Examples

  • ，纸老虎，。
    Bié pà, tā jiù shì gè zhǐ lǎo hǔ, zhī huì shuō dà huà.
    Don't be afraid, he's just a paper tiger — all talk and no action.
  • 纸老虎，。
    Zhè ge guó jiā de jūn shì wēi xié bú guò shì zhǐ lǎo hǔ, jīng bù qǐ kǎo yàn.
    This country's military threat is nothing but a paper tiger — it can't withstand a real test.
  • ，纸老虎。
    Biǎo miàn shàng tā hěn qiáng shì, qí shí shì gè zhǐ lǎo hǔ.
    He seems tough on the surface, but in reality he's a paper tiger.

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.

纸zhǐpaper
老虎tiger
老lǎo虎hǔtiger
前缀Prefix

纸 means paper and 老虎 is a tiger, so it pictures a tiger made of paper, seeming fierce but weak.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 紙; 纸 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
氏
氏shì紙zhǐ
Same sound today

For 纸, the traditional form 紙 combines 糸 (silk) with 氏 (the sound part).

Open 纸 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape 老 combines 人 (man), 毛 (hair), and 匕 (cane), showing a man with long hair leaning on a cane.

Open 老 →

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 →

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