とら
虎
　
の
お
尾
　
を
ふ
踏
　
む

expression, Godan verb

Idiomatic expression.
  1. to play with fire, to do something very dangerous, to take a great risk, to step on a tiger's tail.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
とら
虎
　
の
お
尾
　
を
ふ
踏
　
む
 虎の尾を踏む とらのおをふむ
　
ト
　
ラ
　
の
お
尾
　
を
ふ
踏
　
む
 トラの尾を踏む トラのおをふむ
　
と
　
ら
　
の
お
尾
　
を
ふ
踏
　
む
 とらの尾を踏む とらのおをふむ

Contained Kanji Breakdown

tiger, drunkard
とら　コ　たけ (11th, N1)
tiger spots, mottled, tiger or tiger crown radical (no. 141)
コ (Kentei 1)
divining, fortune-telling, divination or katakana to radical (no. 25)
ボク　うらな.う　うらない (Kentei Pre-1)
wild goose, trailing cliff radical (no. 27)
カン　かりがね (Kentei 1)
spoon, spoon or katakana hi radical (no. 21)
ヒ　さじ (Kentei 1)
legs radical (no. 10)
ジン　ニン　がい (Kentei 1)
tail, end, counter for fish
お　ビ (7th, N1)
corpse, remains, flag radical (no. 44)
シ　かたしろ (Kentei 1)
fur, hair, feather
モウ　け　めん (2nd, N2)
katakana no radical (no. 4)
ヘツ　えい　よう (Kentei 1)
to depend on, to entrust with
タク　チャク
seven
なな　シチ　なの (1st, N5)
step, trample, carry through
ふ.む　トウ (7th, N1)
leg, foot, be sufficient
あし　た.りる　ソク (1st, N4)
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)
stop, halt
と.まる　シ　どめ (2nd, N4)
divining, fortune-telling, divination or katakana to radical (no. 25)
ボク　うらな.う　うらない (Kentei Pre-1)
shoes, boots
くつ　トウ (Kentei Pre-1)
water
みず　スイ　み (1st, N5)
day, sun, Japan
ひ　にっ　ニチ (1st, N5)