知人知面不知心 zhī rén zhī miàn bù zhī xīn

DEFINITIONS

  1. one may know a person for a long time without understanding his true nature (idiom)

CHARACTERS

知 zhī know, perceive, comprehend
人 rén man; people; mankind; someone else
知 zhī know, perceive, comprehend
面 miàn face; surface; plane; side, dimension
不 bù no, not; un-; negative prefix
知 zhī know, perceive, comprehend
心 xīn heart; mind, intelligence; soul