虎: the kanji for tiger
虎 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means tiger. Below are its readings, 3 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
虎 is written in 8 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
虎 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 3 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
コ (ko)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 猛虎もうこ · mōko | fierce tiger |
| 虎穴こけつ · koketsu | tiger's den |
とら (tora)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 虎とら · tora | tiger |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 動物園で虎を見た。Dōbutsuen de tora o mita.I saw a tiger at the zoo.
- 虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず。Koketsu ni irazunba koji o ezu.Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
- 虎の子の貯金を使った。Tora no ko no chokin o tsukatta.I used my precious savings.
- 虎はネコ科の動物だ。Tora wa nekoka no dōbutsu da.The tiger belongs to the cat family.
- 猛虎のような勢いで走った。Mōko no yō na ikioi de hashitta.He ran with the force of a fierce tiger.
Questions about 虎
How many strokes does 虎 have?
虎 is written in 8 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 虎?
The on readings are ko (コ). The kun readings are tora (とら).
What JLPT level is 虎?
N1. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N1 is designed to match the former Level 1.
More JLPT N1 kanji
Nature, weather and animals
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 虎
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.