色厲內荏
Chinese edit
colour; dice; look colour; dice; look; appearance |
severe | inside; inner; internal inside; inner; internal; within; interior |
Perilla frutescens; soft | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
trad. (色厲內荏) | 色 | 厲 | 內 | 荏 | |
simp. (色厉内荏) | 色 | 厉 | 内 | 荏 |
Etymology edit
From the Analects, Book 17 (《論語·陽貨》):
- 子曰:「色厲而內荏,譬諸小人,其猶穿窬之盜也與?」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Zǐyuē: “Sè lì ér nèi rěn, pì zhū xiǎorén, qí yóu chuān yú zhī dào yě yú?” [Pinyin]
- The Master said, "He who puts on an appearance of stern firmness, while inwardly he is weak, is like one of the small, mean people - yea, is he not like the thief who breaks through, or climbs over, a wall?"
子曰:「色厉而内荏,譬诸小人,其犹穿窬之盗也与?」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation edit
Idiom edit
色厲內荏
- to appear tough on the outside but be weak and timid on the inside