狐假虎威

Pronunciation: hú jiǎ hǔ wēi Literal meaning: Fox uses tiger's power

Origin & Usage

This idiom emerged from a Warring States period fable where a fox (狐) borrowed (假) the authority (威) of a tiger (虎) to intimidate other animals. The story first appeared in the Zhan Guo Ce, using the clever fox and powerful tiger to criticize political parasites who derived their influence from powerful patrons. During the Ming Dynasty, it became a pointed critique of corrupt officials who abused borrowed authority. Contemporary usage describes anyone who intimidates others by flaunting connections to powerful figures.

When to Use

Situation: The junior manager kept dropping the CEO's name to get his way

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