虎
hǔ · tiger💡 How to pronounce
h → like the 'h' in 'hot'. ǔ → like 'oo' in 'moon' with a falling-rising tone.
📖 The Story
虎 is the tiger — the king of the beasts in Chinese culture. The oracle bone script shows the tiger's stripes and open mouth. Tigers are symbols of power, courage, and protection. In ancient China, tiger skins were worn by warriors, and tiger images were placed at doorways to ward off evil.
🎬 In Culture Today
The tiger is the third animal in the Chinese zodiac. The saying '虎虎生威' (hǔ hǔ shēng wēi) means 'majestic like a tiger' — it describes someone with great energy.
📚 Words
📝 Example Sentences
老虎很强大。
Tigers are powerful.
虎年是我的本命年。
The Year of the Tiger is my zodiac year.