The Kanji: 虜 (Ryo / Toriko)
The kanji 虜 means "captive," "prisoner of war," or "to be captivated." It combines 虍 (tiger stripes) with 男 (man), originally depicting a captured warrior. This character represents both physical captivity and psychological fascination.
Common Words & Example Sentences
1. 俘虜 (furyo) - Prisoner of war
戦争で俘虜となる。
"Become a prisoner of war."
2. 虜になる (toriko ni naru) - To be captivated
彼女の魅力に虜になる。
"Be captivated by her charm."
3. 虜囚 (ryoshū) - Captivity
虜囚の身となる。
"Fall into captivity."
4. 心の虜 (kokoro no toriko) - Captive of heart
恋に落ちて心の虜となる。
"Fall in love and become a captive of heart."
In summary, 虜 describes both physical capture (俘虜, 虜囚) and emotional captivation (虜になる, 心の虜). It powerfully connects military and psychological domination in Japanese.