noun
tengu; long-nosed goblin
A mythical creature from Japanese folklore, often depicted with a red face and a long nose, said to live deep in the mountains. Also used in expressions related to arrogance.
天狗は日本の昔話によく出てくる。
Tengu often appear in Japanese folk tales.
彼は少し成功しただけで天狗になってしまった。
He got a big head just from a little success.
A common idiomatic phrase meaning 'to become conceited' or 'to get a swelled head', derived from the tengu's association with arrogance.
The word 天狗 (tengu) is of Chinese origin, originally referring to a celestial dog or comet, but in Japan it evolved into the well-known long-nosed goblin of folklore. The idiomatic sense of 'braggart' comes from the tengu's traditional depiction as arrogant and self-important.