とら
虎
　
を
えが
画
　
き
　
て
いぬ
狗
　
に
るい
類
　
す

expression

Idiomatic expression.
  1. attempting to be something you are not, drawing a tiger that ends up looking like a dog.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
とら
虎
　
を
えが
画
　
き
　
て
いぬ
狗
　
に
るい
類
　
す
 虎を画きて狗に類す とらをえがきていぬにるいす
とら
虎
　
を
えが
描
　
き
　
て
いぬ
犬
　
に
るい
類
　
す
 虎を描きて犬に類す とらをえがきていぬにるいす

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)
brush-stroke, picture
ガ　カク　かく.する (2nd, N4)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
wherefore, a reason
ユウ　ユ　ユイ (3rd, N3)
day, sun, Japan
ひ　にっ　ニチ (1st, N5)
number one, line, rod radical (no. 2)
コン　シ　ジョ
open box enclosure, open box radical (no. 17)
カン (Kentei 1)
puppy, dog
いぬ　ク　コウ (Kentei Pre-1)
dog(犬) variant
phrase, clause, sentence
ク　すく (5th, N1)
wrapping enclosure, wrapping radical (no. 20)
ホウ　つつ.む (Kentei 1)
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)
sort, kind, variety
ルイ　たぐ.い (4th, N3)
category, class, group
rice, USA, metre
ベイ　こめ　マイ (2nd, N3)
to divide
tree, wood
き　モク　こ- (1st, N5)
large, big
ダイ　おお-　た (1st, N5)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
person
ひと　ニン　ジン (1st, N5)
page, leaf
ケツ　ぺえじ　おおがい (Kentei Pre-1)
neck(首) variant
oneself
ジ　みずか.ら　おの.ずから (2nd, N4)
dot, tick or dot radical (no. 3)
チュ (Kentei 1)
eye, class, look
め　モク　ボク (1st, N4)
eight, eight radical (no. 12)
ハチ　や　はっ (1st, N5)