honey-mouthed and dagger-hearted; hypocritical and malicious
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
honey-mouthed but dagger-hearted; hypocritically kind but malicious at heart
literaryThis idiom originates from the Tang dynasty official Li Linfu, who was notorious for his treacherous nature and sweet words. It criticizes deep-seated hypocrisy and scheming, not mere superficial insincerity.
Yào要
dí提
fáng防
nà那
xiē些
kǒu口
mì蜜
fù腹
jiàn剑
de的
xiǎo小
rén人
。
Be wary of those villains who are honey-mouthed but dagger-hearted.
Tā他
biǎo表
miàn面
shàng上
duì对
nǐ你
hěn很
hǎo好
，
shí实
jì际
shàng上
kǒu口
mì蜜
fù腹
jiàn剑
，
yī一
zhí直
zài在
suàn算
jì计
nǐ你
。
On the surface he is very nice to you, but in reality, he's hypocritical and malicious, always scheming against you.
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《
Zī资
zhì治
tōng通
jiàn鉴
》
xíng形
róng容
Lǐ李
Lín林
fǔ甫
“
kǒu口
yǒu有
mì蜜
，
fù腹
yǒu有
jiàn剑
”
。
The "Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Governance" describes Li Linfu as having "honey in his mouth and a sword in his belly."
Zhè这
zhǒng种
kǒu口
mì蜜
fù腹
jiàn剑
de的
wěi伪
jūn君
zǐ子
bǐ比
zhēn真
xiǎo小
rén人
gèng更
kě可
pà怕
。
This kind of hypocrite who is honey-mouthed and dagger-hearted is more frightening than a genuine villain.