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

DEFINITIONS

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

CHARACTERS

金 jīn
HSK 4
gold; metals in general; money
玉 yù
HSK 5
jade, precious stone, gem
其 qí
HSK 3
his, her, its, their; that
外 wài
HSK 2
out, outside, external; foreign
败 bài
HSK 4
be defeated, decline, fail
絮 xù waste cotton, raw silk or cotton
其 qí
HSK 3
his, her, its, their; that
中 zhōng
HSK 1
central; center, middle; in the midst of; hit (target); attain