How to Read “虎口の讒言”
Kokou no zangen
Meaning of “虎口の讒言”
“Tiger mouth’s slander” refers to how malicious rumors and slander intended to trap people are more likely to emerge when in dangerous and urgent situations, and how people become more susceptible to believing them.
This proverb is used in situations where organizations or groups face difficult circumstances. For example, when a company falls into a management crisis, when a team gets stuck on an important project, or when a local community faces some kind of problem. In such dangerous situations like a “tiger’s mouth,” anxiety and fear arise in people’s hearts, and they tend to become emotional about things they would normally judge calmly.
In such psychological states, unfounded bad-mouthing and slander spread easily due to the desire to make someone a villain or to shift responsibility onto others. Moreover, listeners, feeling anxious, easily believe stories they would normally doubt. This proverb is used to warn against such psychological weaknesses in humans.
Origin and Etymology
I researched the origins of “Tiger mouth’s slander,” but I was unable to find any commonly known established theory or clearly documented etymology in literature.
This proverb consists of two elements: “tiger mouth” and “slander.” “Tiger mouth” literally means a tiger’s mouth and has long been used as a word representing dangerous places or situations. On the other hand, “slander” is an old word meaning malicious lies or defamation intended to trap people.
From this combination, it can be inferred that it expresses human psychology – that in dangerous situations, people’s psychology becomes unstable, and they tend to believe even bad-mouthing or slander they wouldn’t normally believe. Such situations may have been commonly observed during times of heightened political tension, such as the Warring States period or the Edo period.
However, these are inferences based on the word’s constituent elements, and the definitive origin is uncertain. Among old proverbs, there are quite a few whose clear sources are unknown, which can also be said to be an interesting aspect of the history of language.
Interesting Facts
The word “slander” is rarely used in modern times, but in ancient China, it was a very important concept in the political world. There are numerous historical records of how slander used to trap excellent retainers caused many wise rulers to lose their wise ministers, leading to the downfall of nations.
Tigers have long been considered the “king of beasts,” but their mouths have been particularly feared and frequently used in expressions representing extremely dangerous situations, such as “escaping from a tiger’s mouth” and “throwing oneself into a tiger’s mouth.” Interestingly, the actual bite force of a tiger is about 1000 psi, which corresponds to about 10 times the strength of a human.
Usage Examples
- Since the company’s performance deteriorated, somehow only bad rumors about colleagues have been flying around. This is exactly Tiger mouth’s slander.
- In disaster evacuation centers, Tiger mouth’s slander tends to occur easily, so leaders need to pay special attention to information management.
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, “Tiger mouth’s slander” has become a more serious problem due to the spread of SNS and the internet. When economic anxiety or social turmoil occurs, unfounded rumors and conspiracy theories spread instantly online, and there is a tendency for slander against specific individuals or groups to intensify.
Particularly when corporate scandals or political problems arise, emotional posts follow one after another on social media, and even information with insufficient fact-checking spreads in the form of “flaming.” This can be called a modern version of “Tiger mouth’s slander.” People’s anxiety and anger take precedence before verifying the truth of information.
Also, in situations where society as a whole is enveloped in anxiety, such as during the COVID pandemic, prejudice against medical workers and discriminatory words and actions toward specific regions and occupations became problems. These can also be considered modern manifestations of “Tiger mouth’s slander.”
On the other hand, in modern times, the importance of fact-checking functions and media literacy education has been recognized, and means to verify the reliability of information have also developed. However, since human psychological weaknesses remain unchanged, the lessons of this proverb can be said to still be fully applicable today.
When AI Hears This
Modern social media has fundamentally transformed the structure of “slander at the tiger’s mouth.” The most dramatic change is that the positions of slanderer and target can reverse instantly.
Traditionally, those in power (the tiger) were fixed entities. But now, when an ordinary person’s post “goes viral,” they become temporary power holders. In other words, someone who was the target of slander can find themselves in the tiger’s position the next moment. This “fluidization of power” is a defining characteristic of our era.
Even more intriguing is the emergence of “collective intelligence slander.” A single malicious comment gathers supporters through algorithms, forming a massive ball of slander. For example, a critical post about a company automatically connects people with related grievances, evolving from individual slander into organized attacks that transcend personal malice.
Most frightening is the “perpetuation of slander.” In ancient times, slander would end once it faded from the ruler’s memory, but in digital space, slander persists semi-permanently. A single search can resurrect past slander, delivering it to “the tiger’s ears” repeatedly.
As a result, everyone in modern society simultaneously wears three faces: “slanderer,” “tiger,” and “victim.” The fixed nature of power structures has collapsed, and the risk of slander has spread throughout society as a whole.
Lessons for Today
“Tiger mouth’s slander” teaches modern people the importance of maintaining composure, especially in difficult situations. The more we feel pressure or anxiety, the more emotional we tend to become, and we end up swallowing information that we would normally question.
What’s important is to first take a deep breath and confirm whether that information is truly reliable. Especially for information flowing on SNS, let’s develop the habit of checking sources and cross-referencing with multiple information sources.
Also, when you feel like bad-mouthing someone when you’re anxious, consider whether it’s really constructive. Cooperating toward problem-solving is a far more meaningful use of time. Precisely because we’re in difficult situations, we want to support each other and cherish trust relationships. This proverb gives us very practical wisdom for improving the quality of human relationships.
Comments