绵里藏针 in English mian2 li3 cang2 zhen1 Meaning

Meanings

  • literally (word for word) a needle concealed in silk floss (idiomatic expression)
  • metaphorically ruthless character behind a gentle appearance
  • a wolf in sheep's clothing
  • an iron fist in a velvet glove

Simplified Characters

绵 里 藏 针

Traditional Characters

綿 裡 藏 針

Pinyin

mian2 li3 cang2 zhen1

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

绵mian2silk floss 里li3variant of 裡|里[li3] 藏cang2Tibet 针zhen1needle