Chinese Idiom: 狐假虎威 (Hu Jia Hu Wei)
English Translation: The fox borrows the authority of the tiger
pīn yīn: hú jiǎ hǔ wēi
Idiom Meaning: This idiom refers to someone who relies on another’s power or influence to intimidate others or assert dominance.
Historical Source: Strategies of the Warring States (《战国策·楚策一》).
Idiom Story:
During the Warring States period, the State of Chu was one of the more powerful states. However, the influence of its nobles became so strong that some smaller states feared the noble Zhao Xi Xu more than they feared King Xuan of Chu.
One day, King Xuan inquired about this situation from his ministers, asking why certain states were afraid of Zhao Xi Xu. An official named Jiang Yi explained with a fable:
Once, there was a hungry tiger searching the forest for prey. It came across a fox and was delighted. However, the cunning fox was terrified and quickly devised a plan. It told the tiger, “You dare not eat me! The Heavenly Emperor has appointed me as the king of all beasts. If you consume me, you will be defying the Emperor’s will.”
The tiger, initially skeptical, looked at the small and frail fox, doubting its claims. The fox, noticing the tiger’s uncertainty, said with a sneer, “Do you think my words aren’t credible? Then follow me, and you’ll see if any animal dares to stand in my way.”
So, the fox walked ahead with the tiger following closely. As they advanced, all the other animals, upon seeing them, fled in fear. The tiger assumed that the beasts were frightened of the fox, not realizing that they were actually terrified of him.
Jiang Yi concluded his story by explaining to King Xuan, “Your Majesty, you control vast lands and a mighty army. When you entrust all military matters to Zhao Xi Xu, the smaller states don’t fear him; they fear your power, just as the beasts fear the tiger.”
This story highlights the idea that the fox, by leveraging the tiger’s might, was able to instill fear and assert authority, thus giving rise to the idiom “狐假虎威,” which serves as a caution against relying on others’ power to bully or intimidate.
