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"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.
7 de jul. de 2024 · A paper tiger is a term 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.
A paper tiger is a person or thing that seems powerful but is not. The phrase comes from Chinese and was popularized by Mao Zedong in his Little Red Book. Learn more about its history and usage with examples.
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.
24 de ene. de 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 .
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. Achilles heel. asthenia. at a low ebb idiom. atonic. atony. fragile. fragility. frail. glass jaw.
A paper tiger is a person, nation, or thing that seems powerful but is actually weak or ineffective. Learn the origin, usage, and synonyms of this phrase from Collins English Dictionary.
