諺語 · a single proverb
虎落平陽被犬欺
Simplified: 虎落平阳被犬欺
What does 虎落平陽被犬欺 (hǔ luò píng yáng bèi quǎn qī) mean?
虎落平陽被犬欺 (hǔ luò píng yáng bèi quǎn qī) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "a tiger fallen to the plains is bullied by dogs." In use it means: Even the powerful become vulnerable when displaced from their natural environment. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Wood note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Tiger.
Literally: "a tiger fallen to the plains is bullied by dogs."
The reading
The tiger in the mountains is a king. The tiger in the flatlands is a target. Your strength is partly you and partly where you stand. Know your terrain. The person who is powerful in one room may be helpless in another, and the transition can happen in a single step.
What kind of proverb it is
Source folk proverb; common in Chinese popular culture
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Tiger, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 虎落平陽被犬欺 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 虎落平陽被犬欺 (hǔ luò píng yáng bèi quǎn qī) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from folk proverb; common in Chinese popular culture. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 虎落平陽被犬欺?
In Mandarin it is hǔ luò píng yáng bèi quǎn qī. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 虎落平陽被犬欺 aloud in Mandarin.