Definition
母老虎 literally means 'mother tiger', but in everyday Chinese it's a colloquial and often humorous insult for a fierce, domineering woman. It overlaps with English words like 'shrew' or 'dragon lady', but carries a distinct cultural flavor — you might hear it in jokes about strict wives or overbearing female bosses. Be careful: it's informal and can be offensive if used directly to someone's face.
n.
(figurative, colloquial) a fierce and domineering womanshrewtermagant
Examples
- 母老虎，。Tā de qīzi shì ge mǔ lǎo hǔ, jiā lǐ rén dōu bù gǎn rě tā.His wife is a shrew; nobody in the family dares to provoke her.
- ，母老虎。Bié xiǎo kàn tā, tā zài gōngsī kě shì yǒumíng de mǔ lǎo hǔ.Don't underestimate her — she's a well-known dragon lady at the company.
- 母老虎。Diànshìjù lǐ nà ge mǔ lǎo hǔ de juésè ràng rén yìnxiàng hěn shēn.The character of that fierce woman in the TV drama left a deep impression.
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