聪明一世，糊涂一时 cōng ming yī shì ， hú tu yī shí

DEFINITIONS

  1. even the wisest can have a momentary lapse in judgment (idiom)
  2. every man has a fool in his sleeve

CHARACTERS

聪 cōng
HSK 3
intelligent, clever, bright
明 ming
HSK 1
bright, light, brilliant; clear
一 yī
HSK 1
one; a, an; alone
世 shì
HSK 3
generation; world; era
糊 hú
HSK 5
paste, stick on with paste
涂 tu
HSK 5
surname; name of certain rivers
一 yī
HSK 1
one; a, an; alone
时 shí
HSK 1
time, season; era, age, period