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hu3
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三人成虎
san1 ren2 cheng2 hu3
Three persons talking about a tiger makes it real.
Lies that are repeated often enough will be accepted as truth.
Three persons talking about a tiger makes it real.
Lies that are repeated often enough will be accepted as truth.
不入虎穴，焉得虎子
bu2 ru4 hu3 xue4, yan1 de2 hu3 zi3
If you don't enter the tigers' lair, you cannot catch any cubs.
You have to take risks to be able to gain or win. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
If you don't enter the tigers' lair, you cannot catch any cubs.
You have to take risks to be able to gain or win. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
前门拒虎，后门进狼
qian2 men2 ju4 hu3, hou4 men2 jin4 lang2
Driving the tiger away from the front door and letting the wolf in at the back.
Fending off one danger only to fall a prey to another. Out of the fire into the frying pan. Compare with 抱薪救火 (bao4 xin1 jiu4 huo3), 雪上加霜 (xue3 shang4 jia1 shuang1) and 火上加油 (huo3 shang4 jia1 you2).
Driving the tiger away from the front door and letting the wolf in at the back.
Fending off one danger only to fall a prey to another. Out of the fire into the frying pan. Compare with 抱薪救火 (bao4 xin1 jiu4 huo3), 雪上加霜 (xue3 shang4 jia1 shuang1) and 火上加油 (huo3 shang4 jia1 you2).
卧虎藏龙
wo4 hu3 zang4 long2
Crouching tiger, hidden dragon.
Tigers are crouching and dragons are hiding so that you won't see them. Truly powerful people tend to hide their powers rather than flaunting them. Compare with 嘴上歉虚，心理很得意 (zui4 shang4 qian1 xu1, xin1 li3 hen3 de2 yi4).
Crouching tiger, hidden dragon.
Tigers are crouching and dragons are hiding so that you won't see them. Truly powerful people tend to hide their powers rather than flaunting them. Compare with 嘴上歉虚，心理很得意 (zui4 shang4 qian1 xu1, xin1 li3 hen3 de2 yi4).
山上没有虎，猴子称霸王
shan1 shang4 mei2 you3 hu3, hou2 zi chen4 ba4 wang2
When the tiger is gone, the monkey reins the mountains.
(No further explanation)
When the tiger is gone, the monkey reins the mountains.
(No further explanation)
狐假虎威
hu2 jia3 hu3 wei1
A fox borrowing the tiger's might.
Said of a person who bullies others by virtue of powerful connections. An ass in a lion's skin. Compare with 羊质虎皮 (yang2 zhi4 hu3 pi2).
A fox borrowing the tiger's might.
Said of a person who bullies others by virtue of powerful connections. An ass in a lion's skin. Compare with 羊质虎皮 (yang2 zhi4 hu3 pi2).
画虎不成反类犬
hua4 hu3 bu4 cheng2 fan3 lei4 quan3
Trying to draw a tiger and ending up with the liness of a dog.
Attempting something overambitious and end in failure. Alernative forms: 画虎类犬 (hua4 hu3 lei4 quan3) and 画虎类狗 (hua4 hu3 lei4 gou3).
Trying to draw a tiger and ending up with the liness of a dog.
Attempting something overambitious and end in failure. Alernative forms: 画虎类犬 (hua4 hu3 lei4 quan3) and 画虎类狗 (hua4 hu3 lei4 gou3).
羊质虎皮
yang2 zhi4 hu3 pi2
A goat in a tiger's skin.
Describing a person who is outwardly strong and mighty, but inwardly weak and timid. An ass in a lion's skin. Compare with 狐假虎威 (hu2 jia3 hu3 wei1).
A goat in a tiger's skin.
Describing a person who is outwardly strong and mighty, but inwardly weak and timid. An ass in a lion's skin. Compare with 狐假虎威 (hu2 jia3 hu3 wei1).
苛政猛于虎
ke1 zheng4 meng3 yu2 hu3
A tyrant's government is more fearful than tigers.
(No further explanation)
A tyrant's government is more fearful than tigers.
(No further explanation)
虎口余生
hu3 kou3 yu2 sheng1
To be saved from the tiger's mouth.
A narrow escape from death.
To be saved from the tiger's mouth.
A narrow escape from death.
谈虎色变
tan2 hu3 se4 bian4
Turning pale by the mere mentioning of tigers.
To get frightened by the mere mentioning of something terrible.
Turning pale by the mere mentioning of tigers.
To get frightened by the mere mentioning of something terrible.
马马虎虎
ma3 ma3 hu3 hu3
Horses and tigers.
To do something hastily and carelessly. Careless. Casual. So so. Alternative form: 马虎 (ma3 hu3).
Horses and tigers.
To do something hastily and carelessly. Careless. Casual. So so. Alternative form: 马虎 (ma3 hu3).
骑虎难下
qi2 hu3 nan2 xia4
Difficult to get off the tiger that you are riding.
This is a metaphor for describing someone who is in a difficult situation.
Difficult to get off the tiger that you are riding.
This is a metaphor for describing someone who is in a difficult situation.
