虎(とら)

虎(とら) means tiger, a large striped wild cat.

Writing

• 虎(とら): common writing
• 寅(とら): used for zodiac

Cultural note

寅(とら) is the third animal of the Chinese zodiac (十二支(じゅうにし)). 寅年(とらどし) is the Year of the Tiger.

Common expressions

• 虎(とら)の威(い)を借(か)る狐(きつね): a fox borrowing the tiger's power (someone who flaunts borrowed authority)
• 虎穴(こけつ)に入(い)らずんば虎子(こじ)を得(え)ず: nothing ventured, nothing gained
• 虎(とら)の巻(まき): secret manual, cheat sheet
• 虎視眈々(こしたんたん): watching vigilantly for an opportunity

Compounds

• 虎(とら): tiger
• 白虎(びゃっこ): white tiger
• 阪神(はんしん)タイガース: Hanshin Tigers (baseball team)

Related: 猫(ねこ) (cat), 獅子(しし) (lion).