tiger cub
Literal meaning: a baby tiger. Used in contexts about animals or figuratively to refer to something fiercely protected.
A tiger cub was born at the zoo.
one's treasure; precious savings
Idiomatic expression likening something to a tiger cub that a mother tiger fiercely protects. Often refers to money or a prized possession that one guards carefully.
He doesn't want to touch his precious savings.
This ring is a treasured heirloom from my grandmother.
Standard kanji spelling for both literal and idiomatic meanings.
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; less common but readable.
Literally 'tiger's child'. The idiomatic sense comes from the image of a mother tiger fiercely protecting her cub, applied to something one guards as a precious possession.