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- DictionaryPa·per ti·ger/ˌpāpər ˈtīɡər/
noun
- 1. a person or thing that appears threatening but is ineffectual.
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Apr 14, 2024 · A paper tiger is a metaphor for something that appears strong or threatening but is actually weak or harmless. Learn the origin, examples, and usage of this phrase from the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
" Paper tiger " is a calque of the Chinese phrase zhǐlǎohǔ ( simplified Chinese: 纸老虎; traditional Chinese: 紙老虎 ). The term refers to something or someone that claims or appears to be powerful or threatening but is actually ineffectual and unable to withstand challenge.
Paper tiger is a phrase that means a person who appears to have power but is in reality ineffectual. It comes from Mao's Little Red Book, a collection of his quotations, and was used to criticize imperialism and reactionaries.
IPA guide. A paper tiger is someone who at first glance seems to be in charge but who, on closer examination, is completely powerless. A paper tiger gives the impression of being powerful — perhaps he is a king or a high school principal — but lacks any real power. This phrase comes from an old Chinese idiom, which describes a paper tiger ...
Add to word list. something, such as an enemy or foreign country, that seems very strong and dangerous but is really weak and not harmful: The Soviet Union was suddenly revealed as a paper tiger. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Weakness and vulnerability.
Jan 24, 2021 · The phrase paper tiger denotes a person, country, etc., that appears powerful or threatening but is actually weak or ineffective. This phrase is modelled on Chinese zhǐlǎohǔ, from zhǐ, paper, and lǎohǔ, tiger. These are the earliest occurrences of the phrase paper tiger that I have found, in chronological order:
Paper tiger definition: a person, group, nation, or thing that has the appearance of strength or power but is actually weak or ineffectual.. See examples of PAPER TIGER used in a sentence.
