虎

hǔ

几 + 虍

Definitions

hǔ (noun) tiger

Etymology

Pictograph of a tiger.

About

A pictograph of a tiger, 虎 originally depicted its striped body, large open mouth, and prominent claws. Today, the character combines the tiger radical 虍 (hū) at the top and left, representing the head and striped back, with 儿 (ér) at the bottom for legs. It consistently means 'tiger,' an animal symbolizing strength and ferocity, and the radical 虍 often appears as a semantic component in other characters related to tigers or similarly fierce felines.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

老虎是动物。

Lǎo hǔ shì dòng wù.

Tigers are animals.

老虎住在森林里。

Lǎo hǔ zhù zài sēn lín lǐ.

Tigers live in forests.

我的虎牙很尖。

Wǒ de hǔ yá hěn jiān.

My canine teeth are very sharp.

明年是虎年。

Míng nián shì hǔ nián.

Next year is the Year of the Tiger.

老虎捕食其他动物。

Lǎo hǔ bǔ shí qí tā dòng wù.

Tigers prey on other animals.

他跑得像老虎一样快。

Tā pǎo de xiàng lǎo hǔ yī yàng kuài.

He runs as fast as a tiger.

如果看到老虎，你应该保持安静。

Rú guǒ kàn dào lǎo hǔ, nǐ yīng gāi bǎo chí ān jìng.

If you see a tiger, you should stay quiet.

老虎的条纹有助于它们在草丛中隐藏。

Lǎo hǔ de tiáo wén yǒu zhù yú tā men zài cǎo cóng zhōng yǐn cáng.

The stripes of tigers help them hide in the grass.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 几

Component: 虍

Example Words