正顏厲色 zhèng yán lì sè

DEFINITIONS

  1. solemn in countenance (idiom); strict and unsmiling

CHARACTERS

正 zhèng
HSK 2
right, proper, correct
顏 yán face, facial appearance
厲 lì whetstone; grind, sharpen; whet
色 sè
HSK 2
color, tint, hue, shade; form, body; beauty, desire for beauty