外圓內方 wài yuán nèi fāng

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. outside-flexible, inside-firm (idiom)
  2. fig. velvet glove

CHARACTERS

外 wài
HSK 2
out, outside, external; foreign
圓 yuán circle; round, circular; complete
內 nèi inside, interior; domestic
方 fāng
HSK 3
a square, rectangle; a region; local