虎

Étymologie et composants

The Chinese character 虎 (hǔ) for "tiger" is a pictograph that depicts a tiger's head. The character is composed of two parts: the upper part is the radical 爫 (hú), which means "fire", and the lower part is the radical 戈 (gē), which means "spear". The combination of these two radicals suggests the idea of a tiger's fierce and powerful nature, as it is often associated with fire and weapons.Another interpretation of the character 虎 is that it represents the combination of the characters 山 (shān) for "mountain" and 王 (wáng) for "king". This interpretation suggests that the tiger is the king of the mountains, symbolizing its strength and dominance in its natural habitat.The character 虎 has been used in Chinese culture for thousands of years and has a rich history and symbolism. It is often used in art, literature, and mythology to represent courage, strength, and power. The tiger is also one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, and people born in the Year of the Tiger are said to possess these same qualities.