冇牙老虎 [－－－－]

Jyutping mou5 ngaa4 lou5 fu2
Pinyin mǎo yá lǎo hǔ

Definitions (CC-CANTO)
  1. toothless tiger, something/ someone that seems to be powerful and scary yet cannot bite/ strike, the government practicing a law/ policy without enough/ effective enforcement
Definitions (粵典–words.hk)
  1. 名詞
    表面​掌權​，​實質​相反​嘅​人​或者​團體​，​就​好似​冇​牙​嘅​老虎​咁​，​只​係​得​個樣​（​量​詞​：​隻​）
    all bark and no bite; person or group which, contrary to appearances or to its own rhetoric, has no real power; literally: toothless tiger
    • 政府對付小市民就叻，一對住地產商就變返冇牙老虎。
      政府对付小市民就叻，一对住地产商就变返冇牙老虎。
      zing3 fu2 deoi3 fu6 siu2 si5 man4 zau6 lek1, jat1 deoi3 zyu6 dei6 caan2 soeng1 zau6 bin3 faan1 mou5 ngaa4 lou5 fu2.
      The government can be tough when dealing with common citizens, but when facing the landlords it becomes a toothless tiger.
Examples (粵典–words.hk)
  1. Cantonese
    冇牙老虎
    冇牙老虎
    mou5 ngaa4 lou5 fu2
    • all bark no bite; literally: toothless tiger
  2. Cantonese
    政府对付小市民就叻，一对住地产商就变返冇牙老虎。
    政府對付小市民就叻，一對住地產商就變返冇牙老虎。
    zing3 fu2 deoi3 fu6 siu2 si5 man4 zau6 lek1, jat1 deoi3 zyu6 dei6 caan2 soeng1 zau6 bin3 faan1 mou5 ngaa4 lou5 fu2.
    • The government can be tough when dealing with common citizens, but when facing the landlords it becomes a toothless tiger.