虎皮

hǔpí

noun #35,980

Measure Word

一张虎皮 zhāng

Meanings

1 tiger skin / tiger hide
2 tiger-skin pattern
3 (figuratively) a borrowed authority used to intimidate

Characters

Examples

HSK 5

虎皮蛋糕是一种很有名的小吃。

Hǔpí dàngāo shì yì zhǒng hěn yǒumíng de xiǎochī.

'Tiger-skin cake' is a very famous snack.

HSK 6

他不过是拉大旗作虎皮罢了。

Tā búguò shì lā dà qí zuò hǔpí bàle.

He's just using a big banner as a tiger skin (i.e. invoking authority to intimidate).

HSK 7-9

古代将军用虎皮做战袍。

Gǔdài jiāngjūn yòng hǔpí zuò zhànpáo.

Ancient generals made battle robes from tiger skin.

Tips

usage

Three live senses: (1) literal tiger pelt; (2) the spotted/striped pattern that resembles it - 虎皮蛋糕 'tiger-skin cake,' 虎皮青椒 'tiger-skin green peppers' (a Sichuan dish where peppers are pan-blistered to look striped); (3) the figurative 'borrowed prestige' from the chengyu 拉大旗作虎皮 ('hoist a big banner as tiger skin'), used by Lu Xun to mock people who use grand slogans as cover for petty motives.

Stroke Order

虎 hǔ

皮 pí