狐假虎威 (hú jiǎ hǔ wēi)

Character breakdown

• 狐 (hú) · 8 strokes

  Phonosemantic compound. 犭 represents the meaning and 瓜 represents the sound.

• 假 (gēi) · 11 strokes

  Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 叚 represents the sound.

• 虎 (hǔ) · 8 strokes

  Pictograph of a tiger.

• 威 (wēi) · 9 strokes

  Depicts a weapon (戌) used to force a woman (女) into submission.

Usage

他不过是狐假虎威罢了，没什么真本事。

He's just bullying people by relying on others' power; he has no real ability.

Tā bùguò shì hújiǎhǔwēi bàle, méi shénme zhēn běnshì.