諺語 · a single proverb
虎口餘生
Simplified: 虎口余生
What does 虎口餘生 (hǔ kǒu yú shēng) mean?
虎口餘生 (hǔ kǒu yú shēng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "life remaining after the tiger's mouth." In use it means: Surviving a close brush with death or disaster; the second chance that comes after near-destruction. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Tiger.
Literally: "life remaining after the tiger's mouth."
The reading
The tiger's teeth closed and you were not between them. That is all. No skill saved you. No prayer reached the right desk. You were lucky, and the luck left you standing in a world that looks different now because you almost lost it. Every day after the tiger's mouth is borrowed time, and borrowed time should be spent wisely.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common literary and folk expression; appears in Tang-Song texts
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 虎口餘生 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 虎口餘生 (hǔ kǒu yú shēng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Common literary and folk expression; appears in Tang-Song texts. 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 虎口餘生?
In Mandarin it is hǔ kǒu yú shēng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 虎口餘生 aloud in Mandarin.