tigre de papel

Portuguese

Etymology

Calque from Chinese 紙老虎／纸老虎 (zhǐlǎohǔ).

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ʃi.ɡɾi d͡ʒi paˈpɛw/ [ˈt͡ʃi.ɡɾi d͡ʒi paˈpɛʊ̯]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ʃi.ɡɾi d͡ʒi paˈpɛw/ [ˈt͡ʃi.ɡɾi d͡ʒi paˈpɛʊ̯]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ʃi.ɡɾe de paˈpɛw/ [ˈt͡ʃi.ɡɾe de paˈpɛʊ̯]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈti.ɡɾɨ dɨ pɐˈpɛl/ [ˈti.ɣɾɨ ðɨ pɐˈpɛɫ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈti.ɡɾɨ dɨ pɐˈpɛl/ [ˈti.ɣɾɨ ðɨ pɐˈpɛɫ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈti.ɡɾɨ dɨ pɐˈpɛ.li/ [ˈti.ɣɾɨ ðɨ pɐˈpɛ.li]

Noun

tigre de papel m (plural tigres de papel)

1. (idiomatic) paper tiger (a seemingly fierce or powerful person, country or organisation)

Further reading

• tigre de papel on the Portuguese Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^pt