金玉其外，败絮其中 jīn yù qí wài ， bài xù qí zhōng

gilded exterior, shabby and ruined on the inside (idiom)

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. gilded exterior, shabby and ruined on the inside (idiom)

Characters

Character Meaning
金 jīn HSK 4
gold; money; golden
玉 yù HSK 5
jade
其 qí HSK 3
its; their; it (refers to sth preceding it)
外 wài HSK 2
outside; external; foreign
败 bài HSK 4
to fail; to lose (to an opponent); to defeat
絮 xù
cotton wadding; long-winded; fig. padding
其 qí HSK 3
its; their; it (refers to sth preceding it)
中 zhōng HSK 1
in; within; middle