家丑不可外扬 jiā chǒu bù kě wài yáng

fig. don't wash your dirty linen in public

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

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

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
扬 yáng HSK 4
to raise; to hoist; to flutter