Definition

1. Noun:
   • Wild beasts, ferocious animals: "hổ lang" refers to wild and fierce animals in general, particularly those considered dangerous predators. It often specifically denotes tigers ("hổ") and wolves ("lang") as representative examples.
   • (Figurative) A cruel, brutal person: Used metaphorically to describe a person who is savage, ruthless, or brutal in nature.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Literal):

  • Khu rừng này đầy rẫy hổ lang. (This forest is full of wild beasts.)
  • Tiếng gầm của hổ lang vang vọng trong đêm. (The roar of wild beasts echoed through the night.)

• Noun (Figurative):

  • Hắn ta độc ác như một con hổ lang. (He is as cruel as a wild beast.)
  • Bọn cướp đó là lũ hổ lang, không chút nhân tính. (Those robbers are a pack of brutes, without a shred of humanity.)

Advanced Usage

• "miệng hổ lang": Literally "tiger-wolf mouth"; a metaphor for a very dangerous situation or a ruthless person.

  • Thoát khỏi miệng hổ lang. (To escape from the jaws of a beast / a deadly situation.)

• "lòng hổ lang": Literally "tiger-wolf heart"; signifies a cruel, vicious heart.

  • Đừng tin hắn, hắn có lòng hổ lang. (Don't trust him; he has the heart of a beast.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hổ (n): Tiger.
• Lang (n): Wolf (archaic/literary term for wolf; the more common modern term is "sói").
• Ác thú (n): Ferocious beast, evil beast. A close synonym often used interchangeably with "hổ lang".
• Dã thú (n): Wild animal, beast.

Synonyms

• Thú dữ: Wild animal, fierce beast.
• Quái thú: Monster, beast.
• Hung thần: Fierce god, demon (used figuratively for a terrifying person).

Related Phrases

• Hổ lang sói báo: An extended phrase meaning "tigers, wolves, leopards"; emphasizes a gathering of various fierce predators or vicious individuals.
  • Bọn chúng là một lũ hổ lang sói báo. (They are a gang of ruthless predators.)

Related Idioms

• "Hổ lang thành tính": Literally "tiger-wolf becomes nature"; means a cruel, savage nature is inherent or hard to change.
  • Hổ lang thành tính, khó mà thay đổi. (A beast's nature is hard to change.)
• "Nơi hổ lang ẩn nấp": Literally "where tigers and wolves hide"; refers to a dangerous, treacherous place.
  • Đó là nơi hổ lang ẩn nấp, đừng nên đến. (That is a den of beasts; you shouldn't go there.)

1. Cats, wild fierce animals, ferocious beasts (nói khái quát)