家丑不可外传 jiā chǒu bù kě wài chuán

don't share family problems outside

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. lit. family shames must not be spread abroad (idiom); fig. don't wash your dirty linen in public

Characters

Character Meaning
家 jiā HSK 1
home; family; classifier for families or businesses
丑 chǒu HSK 5
ugly; clown; shameful
不 bù HSK 1
not; no; (negative prefix)
可 kě HSK 2
can; may; able to
外 wài HSK 2
outside; external; foreign
传 chuán HSK 4
to pass on; to spread; to transmit