外強中乾 wài qiáng zhōng gān

DEFINITIONS

  1. strong in appearance but weak in reality (idiom)

CHARACTERS

外 wài
HSK 2
out, outside, external; foreign
強 qiáng strong, powerful, energetic
中 zhōng
HSK 1
central; center, middle; in the midst of; hit (target); attain
乾 gān dry; first hexagram; warming principle of the sun, penetrating and fertilizing, heavenly generative principle (male)