The kanji 虎 (tiger) is a vivid pictograph. The top element depicts the head and whiskers, the middle part represents the striped body, and the bottom strokes form the powerful legs and tail of a tiger.
Vocabulary
虎とら
tiger
虎穴こけつ
tiger's den
虎の子とらのこ
one's most prized possession
虎視眈々こしたんたん
watching for a chance, having one's eye on something
白虎びゃっこ
white tiger (one of the Four Symbols in Chinese constellations)