聰明一世，糊塗一時 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

聰 cōng 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
塗 tu smear, daub, apply, spread; paint
一 yī
HSK 1
one; a, an; alone
時 shí time, season; era, age, period