📖 Meaning
A vivid metaphor for a fierce and dramatic struggle between two titanic forces, as if dragons claw and tigers pounce at each other. It captures the raw intensity and spectacle of a life-or-death confrontation between equally matched rivals.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom first appears in Yu E's poem '醉歌行' (Drunken Song), composed during the late Qing Dynasty or early Republic of China era. Yu E, a poet caught in the turbulent transition from imperial rule to republic, used the image of dragons grappling and tigers leaping to depict the chaotic warlord struggles of his time. The phrase paints a scene of primal, violent competition where neither side yields. It was later adopted by modern writers like Mao Dun, who used it in '北方的原野' (The Northern Wilderness) to describe the intensity of battlefield scenes.
💡 Example Usage
棋局进入中盘，黑白双方龙拏虎跳，杀得难解难分。
As the Go game entered the middle phase, black and white stones clashed like dragons seizing and tigers leaping, locked in an inseparable battle.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 龙拏虎跳
- Pinyin: lóng ná hǔ tiào
- Literal Translation: dragon, seize, tiger, leap
- Category: Action
- Characters: 4