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The atom bomb is a paper tiger which the United States reactionaries use to scare people. It looks terrible, but in fact it isn't.
Mao Zedong

Meaning of "paper tiger" in the English dictionary

Dictionary
DICTIONARY
section

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD PAPER TIGER

Translation of a Chinese phrase first applied to the US.
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Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.
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PRONUNCIATION OF PAPER TIGER

paper tiger play
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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF PAPER TIGER

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Paper tiger is a noun.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

WHAT DOES PAPER TIGER MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Paper tiger

Paper tiger is a literal English translation of the Chinese phrase ''zhǐlǎohǔ''. The term refers to something that seems threatening but is ineffectual and unable to withstand challenge. The expression became well known in the West as a slogan used by Mao Zedong's Chinese communist state against its opponents, particularly the U.S. government.

Definition of paper tiger in the English dictionary

The definition of paper tiger in the dictionary is a nation, institution, etc, that appears powerful but is in fact weak or insignificant.

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE PAPER TIGER

paper filigree
paper handkerchief
paper hankie
paper industry
paper lantern
paper loss
paper mill
paper money
paper mulberry
paper napkin
paper nautilus
paper over
paper plate
paper profit
paper qualifications
paper round
paper shop
paper tape
paper towel
paper trail

WORDS THAT END LIKE PAPER TIGER

armiger
Bengal tiger
braunschweiger
claviger
Eiger
Fibiger
garden tiger
Geiger
half tiger
Holliger
liger
Niger
obliger
sabre-toothed tiger
Scaliger
scutiger
Tasmanian tiger
Thesiger
tiger
veliger

Synonyms and antonyms of paper tiger in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

Translation of «paper tiger» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF PAPER TIGER

Find out the translation of paper tiger to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of paper tiger from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «paper tiger» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

纸老虎
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

tigre de papel
570 millions of speakers

English

paper tiger
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

कागजी शेर
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

نمر من ورق
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

бумажным тигром
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

tigre de papel
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

কাগজ বাঘ
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

tigre de papier
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

Harimau kertas
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

Papiertiger
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

張り子の虎
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

종이 호랑이
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Macan kertas
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

con hổ giấy
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

காகித புலி
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

कागद वाघ
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

Kağıt kaplan
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

tigre di carta
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

Tygrys papieru
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

паперовим тигром
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

tigru de hârtie
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

χαρτί τίγρη
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

papier tier
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

papperstiger
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

papirtiger
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of paper tiger

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «PAPER TIGER»

The term «paper tiger» is normally little used and occupies the 108.674 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Little used
49
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «paper tiger» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of paper tiger
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «paper tiger».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «PAPER TIGER» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «paper tiger» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «paper tiger» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about paper tiger

EXAMPLES

QUOTES WITH «PAPER TIGER»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word paper tiger.
1
Mao Zedong
The atom bomb is a paper tiger which the United States reactionaries use to scare people. It looks terrible, but in fact it isn't.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «PAPER TIGER»

Discover the use of paper tiger in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to paper tiger and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Rock Paper Tiger
When a chance encounter with a Muslim fugitive drops her down a rabbit hole of conspiracies, Ellie must decide whom to trust among the artists, dealers, collectors, and operatives claiming to be on her side.
Lisa Brackmann, 2010
2
Paper Tiger: An Obsessed Golfer's Quest to Play with the Pros
. . . Everything the big boys have access to, I want double.? Like most amateur golfers, Tom Coyne had often wondered whether the pros won because they were more talented or because they were more obsessed.
Tom Coyne, 2006
3
Paper Tiger
This odyssey is adroitly evoked by Rolin's long, fluid sentences as they reflect the car?s route past the sundry signs of the past and advertisements of the present dotting the Paris beltway. ¯ This prize-winning novel by one of France?s ...
Olivier Rolin, 2007
4
Paper Tiger
Returning home to marry the man of her dreams, heiress Georgina Hanover meets journalist Daniel Mulloney, a mysterious and alluring man who claims to be her fiance's brother and who attacks the family's wealth and power. Original.
Patricia Rice, 1995
5
EU Counterterrorism Policy: A Paper Tiger?
The book addresses several legal counterterrorism instruments that have not been properly implemented at the national level, and highlights several areas where the EU can provide genuine value-added in the fight against terrorism.
Dr Oldrich Bures, 2013
6
Paper Tiger: An Old Sportswriter's Reminiscences of People, ...
Partisan he may be; vindictive and sour he is not. Although Paper Tiger will appeal especially to sports fans, anyone who wants to know the inside story of newspaper life will find it a fascinating book.
Stanley Woodward, 1964
7
Taming the Paper Tiger at Work
Explains an effective system for organizing and prioritizing paperwork.
Barbara Hemphill, 2005
8
Taming the Paper Tiger
America's leading organizational consultant uses common sense and humor to illustrate how to tackle piles of records, correspondence, bills, receipts, family photos, magazines and other papers that clutter our lives.
Barbara Hemphill, 1997
9
The Fantasy Art Gallery
Twenty-five of the finest fantasy and science fiction artists reveal their creative secrets. The interviews come from The Paper Snarl, Paper Tiger’s own e-zine; each features the artist’s personal choice of work.
Paul Barnett, 2002
10
How Obama is Transforming America's Military from Superpower ...
These are not the policies of a president who wants America to be strong, safe, and secure. But they are the policies that define Barack Obama. ENCOUNTER BROADSIDES: a new series of critical pamphlets from Encounter Books.
Jed Babbin, 2013

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «PAPER TIGER»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term paper tiger is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Don't reduce RBI to a paper tiger
The draft proposals of the Indian Financial Code (IFC), which snatch away the veto power of the RBI governor over interest rates and pack the ... «The Asian Age, Jul 15»
2
Pollution control board a paper tiger: Ex-chairman
The "paper tiger" comment (made by the high court a few months ago) is ... called the agency a 'paper tiger' and one which sleeps like Kumbha ... «Times of India, Jul 15»
3
Charles Murray's Prescription for American Government
... become accustomed, it will more than likely expose itself to be a paper tiger, unable to enforce its will without inviting the ire of the disaffected ... «National Review Online, Jul 15»
4
Corruption: What Zim can learn from China
Unlike many such failed initiatives by African political parties, the CCDI is not just a paper tiger. Even the once “untouchable” Bo Xilai — former ... «The Zimbabwe Standard, Jul 15»
5
Buhari vs Halliburton Crooks: A Call for Courage By Remi Oyeyemi
Or it may turn out to be the case that would demystify him and expose him as a lily-livered paper tiger. But first, let us quickly peruse the list of ... «SaharaReporters.com, Jul 15»
6
Report: Donald Trump may be overstating value of golf holdings
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban recently referred to Donald Trump as a "paper tiger" when the presidential candidate claimed he was ... «Yahoo Sports, Jul 15»
7
The History Of Evil – Planned Parenthood Writes A New Page
... all abortion and perverted same sex marriage–is any more than a paper tiger vying for our votes based on a better deal than Barack Obama. «Western Journalism, Jul 15»
8
Sea of Assholes: More Friday hate for Nebraska
At least you stood a chance of looking somewhat competent under Bo "Fuck the Fans" Pelini (ignoring your constant paper tiger schedule, ... «Off Tackle Empire, Jul 15»
9
After the Iran Deal: Israel is Down But Far From Out
Of course, the Paper Tiger that the Israel lobby is becoming is not dead yet; and Obama's feet of clay have not quite hardened enough to finish ... «CounterPunch, Jul 15»
10
This Is Not the Time to Go Skinny Dipping
Time to rearm big. And how about China with its military push? The paper tiger's got to become more of a real one and it's looking to put people ... «TheStreet.com, Jul 15»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Paper tiger [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/paper-tiger>. Apr 2024 ».
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