绵里藏针 mián lǐ cáng zhēn

fig. ruthless character behind a gentle appearance

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency 90774th word

Definitions

  1. 1. fig. ruthless character behind a gentle appearance
  2. 2. lit. a needle concealed in silk floss (idiom)
  3. 3. an iron fist in a velvet glove
  4. 4. a wolf in sheep's clothing

Characters

Character Meaning
绵 mián
cotton; soft; continuous
里 lǐ HSK 1
inside; interior; internal
藏 cáng HSK 5
to hide away; to conceal; to store
针 zhēn HSK 4
needle; pin; injection