とら
toraeveryday
Tiger in hiragana is とら (tora). It is a short two-syllable word. The written form 虎 is usually read the same way.
The stripes of a tiger are called しまもよう (shimamoyō), a word used for any striped pattern.
Meaning: tiger (noun)
When do people say it?
The tiger is the third animal of the Japanese zodiac, the えと (eto), after the rat and the ox. A person born in a tiger year is said to be born in the year of the tiger.
Did you know?
- In the Japanese zodiac, the tiger is the third animal, after the rat and the ox.
Examples in context
- とらにはしまもようがあります。Tora ni wa shimamoyō ga arimasu.Tigers have stripes.
- どうぶつえんでとらをみました。Dōbutsuen de tora o mimashita.I saw a tiger at the zoo.
Example conversation
Dad and his daughter Kana look at the tiger enclosure.
- Kanaおとうさん、とらだよ。Otōsan, tora da yo.Dad, it is a tiger.
- Dadしまもようがきれいだね。Shimamoyō ga kirei da ne.The stripes are beautiful.
- Kanaちょっとこわいけどかっこいい。Chotto kowai kedo kakkoii.It is a little scary but cool.
