lou5 fu2老虎
Jyutpinglou5 fu2
Yalelóuh fú
Definition
Tiger; a large feline mammal with orange fur and black stripes.
colloquialanimals
How it's used
Beyond the literal animal, this term is frequently used in idioms to describe someone who appears powerful or threatening but lacks actual substance, such as 冇牙老虎. It also appears in the common phrase 老虎乸, which is a colloquial way to refer to a fierce or temperamental woman, often used by husbands to describe their wives in a joking or complaining tone.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
The tiger at the zoo is very fierce.
Related words
Common phrases
paper tiger; all bark and no bite
a fierce woman; a shrew
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
