paper tiger
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Etymology
Calque from Chinese 紙老虎／纸老虎 (zhǐlǎohǔ), a phrase made famous by Mao Zedong, but with ancient origins. An English translation first appeared in a 1828 book by British missionary and lexicographer Robert Morrison.
Pronunciation
Audio (General Australian): (file)
Noun
paper tiger (plural paper tigers)
- (idiomatic) A seemingly fierce or powerful person, country or organisation without the ability to back up their words; apparently powerful but actually ineffective.
- Synonym: sheep in wolf's clothing
- Antonym: wolf in sheep's clothing
- 2010 October 11, Roger Cohen, “Iran, the Paper Tiger”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
- Iran is a paper tiger, a postmodern threat: It has many uses but a third Western war against a Muslim country is a bridge too far.
Translations
paper tiger
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See also
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