话中有刺 huà zhōng yǒu cì

DEFINITIONS

  1. hidden barbs in one's words
  2. hostile subtext

CHARACTERS

话 huà
HSK 1
speech, talk, language; dialect
中 zhōng
HSK 1
central; center, middle; in the midst of; hit (target); attain
有 yǒu
HSK 1
have, own, possess; exist
刺 cì
HSK 5
stab; prick, irritate; prod