📖 Meaning
A dragon's deep pool and a tiger's lair. It is a metaphor for an extremely dangerous and perilous place. The phrase conjures images of two of the most fearsome creatures' habitats to convey mortal danger.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Yuan dynasty anonymous play 'Tower of Hao Tian' (《昊天塔》), Act 3, where the character laments having barely broken through the gates of heaven and earth only to leap out of this dragon pool and tiger cave. It was later popularized in classical vernacular novels such as Wen Kang's 'Tales of Heroic Sons and Daughters' (《儿女英雄传》) in the Qing dynasty. Over time, the variant '龙潭虎窟' (cave) from the original play was standardized as '龙潭虎穴' in common usage.
💡 Example Usage
为了救出被困的同伴，他毅然闯入龙潭虎穴，毫无畏惧。
To rescue his trapped companions, he resolutely braved the dragon's pool and tiger's lair without any fear.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 龙潭虎穴
- Pinyin: lóng tán hǔ xué
- Literal Translation: dragon, deep pool, tiger, cave
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4