虎入羊群
虎入羊群 (hǔ rù yáng qún) literally means “a tiger loose in the flock” and expresses “unstoppable force against the defenceless”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: hu ru yang qun, hu ru yang qun,虎入羊群 meaning, 虎入羊群 in english
Unstoppable force against the defenceless
Pronunciation: hǔ rù yáng qún Literal meaning: A tiger loose in the flock
Origin & Usage
The picture needs no explanation, which is why the phrase survived: a tiger (虎) loose among (入) a flock (群) of sheep (羊) — overwhelming force meeting no resistance worth the name. It appears in Yuan drama and in the vernacular novels, usually to describe a single fighter breaking a line, and it carries a faint edge of judgement — the tiger is not admired so much as the flock is pitied. Modern use runs to sport, markets and any contest where the mismatch was obvious before it began. The useful nuance is that it describes a situation rather than a person: the same tiger in a different field is simply a tiger.
Examples
English: "One experienced striker against that defence was never going to be a contest."
Chinese: 他冲进对方阵中，如虎入羊群。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about strategy & action
羊质虎皮
yáng zhì hǔ pí
Imposing outside, timid within
Learn more →
羊入虎口
yáng rù hǔ kǒu
Walk helplessly into certain danger
Learn more →
顺手牵羊
shùn shǒu qiān yáng
Exploit small opportunities
Learn more →
羚羊挂角
líng yáng guà jiǎo
Artistry that leaves no trace
Learn more →
歧路亡羊
qí lù wáng yáng
Too many choices lead nowhere
Learn more →
亡羊得牛
wáng yáng dé niú
A small loss that yields a greater gain
Learn more →
羊肠小道
yáng cháng xiǎo dào
A narrow, winding, difficult road
Learn more →
挂羊头卖狗肉
guà yáng tóu mài gǒu ròu
Advertise one thing and deliver another
Learn more →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 虎入羊群 mean in English?
虎入羊群 (hǔ rù yáng qún) literally translates to “A tiger loose in the flock” and is used to express “Unstoppable force against the defenceless”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 虎入羊群 used?
Situation: One experienced striker against that defence was never going to be a contest.
What is the pinyin for 虎入羊群?
The pinyin pronunciation for 虎入羊群 is “hǔ rù yáng qún”.
Curated Lists Featuring 虎入羊群
Year of the Goat 2027: 12 Chinese Idioms and Lucky Greetings — 三阳开泰!
The Year of the Goat begins 6 February 2027. These 12 idioms cover what to actually write in a red envelope — and why the luckiest Goat-year phrases never mention a goat at all.
22 Chinese Goat and Sheep Idioms (羊) — What the Sheep Symbolizes in China
The sheep is hidden inside the Chinese words for beauty, goodness, righteousness and good fortune. Twenty-two 羊 idioms, what each one means, and why Chinese treats this animal as the root of value itself.