Details
Description
Tiger - king of beasts, courage, and fierce protection.
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Pictograph depicting a tiger. Stripes and sharp claws.
Symbolism
Ferocity, dignity, power. Revered as symbol of royalty in Asia.
Component Breakdown
Tiger top + table
Words & Expressions
Words written with 虎
Four-Character Compounds
竜攘虎搏
りゅうじょうこはく
fierce fighting
虎視眈々
こしたんたん
vigilantly (watching for an opportunity); eagerly; with an eagle eye
暴虎馮河
ぼうこひょうが
foolhardy courage
前虎後狼
ぜんここうろう
one calamity followed close on the heels of another; out of the frying pan into the fire; tiger in front, wolf in the back
羊質虎皮
ようしつこひ
sheep in a tiger's skin; gimcrack; showy without real worth
Proverbs & Idioms
虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず
こけつにいらずんばこじをえず
If you don't enter the tiger's den, you can't get the cub
Nothing ventured, nothing gained
虎の威を借る狐
とらのいをかるきつね
A fox borrowing the tiger's authority
Using someone else's power to intimidate others
虎は死して皮を留め、人は死して名を残す
とらはししてかわをとどめ、ひとはししてなをのこす
Tigers leave their skins after death, humans leave their names
One should leave a good legacy after death
Anime & Manga
とらドラ！
Toradora!
Story of heroine nicknamed 'Palmtop Tiger'
うる星やつら
Urusei Yatsura
Lum's tiger-striped bikini is iconic. 2022 remake
呪術廻戦
Jujutsu Kaisen
Features characters compared to tigers like Toji Fushiguro
ジョゼと虎と魚たち
Josee, the Tiger and the Fish
A well-known work with 虎 in its Japanese title.
Games
龍が如く
Yakuza / Like a Dragon(2005)
Tiger tattoos are symbolically used in yakuza world
View on Amazon →Related Figures & Stories
加藤清正
(かとうきよまさ)Famous for the legend of killing a tiger during Korean campaign
One of Seven Spears of Shizugatake. Built Kumamoto Castle
藤堂高虎
Name contains 虎
Tōdō Takatora was a Japanese daimyō of the Tōdō clan from the Azuchi–Momoyama to Edo periods.
Wikipedia武田信虎
Name contains 虎
Takeda Nobutora was a Japanese daimyō who controlled the Province of Kai, and fought in a number of battles of the Sengoku period.
Wikipedia甘利虎泰
Name contains 虎
Amari Torayasu was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period who served the Takeda clan under Takeda Nobutora and Shingen.
Wikipedia井伊直虎
Name contains 虎
Ii Naotora was a daimyō of the Sengoku period and head of the Ii clan, a feudal samurai clan of medieval Japan.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 虎 mean in Japanese?
虎 means tiger. Tiger - king of beasts, courage, and fierce protection.
How do you read 虎?
On'yomi: コ (KO). Kun'yomi: とら (tora).
How many strokes does 虎 have?
虎 has 8 strokes. Its radical is 虍 (tiger).
Is 虎 a good kanji for a tattoo?
虎 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means tiger. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:tiger