諺語 · a single proverb

龍lóng爭zhēng虎hǔ鬥dòu

Simplified: 龙争虎斗

lóng zhēng hǔ dòu

What does 龍爭虎鬥 (lóng zhēng hǔ dòu) mean?

龍爭虎鬥 (lóng zhēng hǔ dòu) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "dragon and tiger contend." In use it means: Two powerful forces in fierce competition. Neither side is weak, and the fight is real. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dragon.

Literally: "dragon and tiger contend."

The reading

When a dragon fights a tiger, the landscape changes. Trees snap. Rivers shift. This is not a scuffle between neighbours. It is a collision between forces that reshape the ground they fight on. The spectators are wise to stand far back.

What kind of proverb it is

Source Common idiom; widely used in martial arts and historical literature

Sits beside

暗渡陳倉

àn dù chén cāng

Distracting the enemy with an obvious feint while your real move happens elsewhere.

運籌帷幄

yùn chóu wéi wò

Planning masterfully behind the scenes.

不動如山

bù dòng rú shān

Stay firm and steady when everything around you is in chaos.

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 Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.

Questions

Is 龍爭虎鬥 a real Chinese proverb?

Yes. 龍爭虎鬥 (lóng zhēng hǔ dòu) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Common idiom; widely used in martial arts and historical literature. 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 龍爭虎鬥?

In Mandarin it is lóng zhēng hǔ dòu. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 龍爭虎鬥 aloud in Mandarin.