Japanese symbol for “tiger”
虎
とら
Romaji: tora
tiger (Panthera tigris)
In Japanese, tiger is 虎, read とら (tora).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n tiger (Panthera tigris)
- n drunkard; drunk; sot
Written forms: 虎. Readings: とら、トラ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “tiger”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 寅 | とら tora | the Tiger (third sign of the Chinese zodiac) |
| タイガー | タイガー taigaa | tiger (feline, Panthera tigris) |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 白虎 | びゃっこ byakko | White Tiger (Taoist god said to rule over the western heavens) |
| 猛虎 | もうこ mouko | fierce tiger; ferocious tiger |
| 虎視眈々 | こしたんたん koshitantan | vigilantly (watching for an opportunity); eagerly; with an eagle eye |
| 虎の巻 | とらのまき toranomaki | book of (trade) secrets; secrets |
| 虎の子 | とらのこ toranoko | tiger cub |
| 虎杖 | いたどり itadori | Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica); flowering bamboo |
See also: Chinese symbol for “tiger”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.