hổ lang
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- 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.)
- Cats, wild fierce animals, ferocious beasts (nói khái quát)