笑里藏刀 (xiào lǐ cáng dāo) — to hide a dagger in a smile — malicious intent behind a friendly facade
Definition
A 成语 meaning a smile that hides a dagger — someone who appears friendly while actually plotting harm. Describes the PERSON (their hidden malice), not the act.
idiom
to hide a dagger in a smile — malicious intent behind a friendly facade
Examples
- ，笑里藏刀，。Tā biǎo miàn shàng duì nǐ hěn hǎo, qí shí shì xiào lǐ cáng dāo, nǐ yí dìng yào xiǎo xīn.He seems nice to you on the surface, but actually he is a 'dagger in a smile' — you must be careful.
- 笑里藏刀，。Zhè zhǒng xiào lǐ cáng dāo de rén zuì kě pà, yīn wèi nǐ hěn nán kàn chū tā men de zhēn miàn mù.This kind of 'dagger-in-a-smile' person is the scariest because it's hard to see their true face.
- ，笑里藏刀。Tā zǒng shì xiào mī mī dì gēn nǐ shuō huà, dàn dà jiā dōu zhī dào tā shì gè xiào lǐ cáng dāo de piàn zi.She always talks to you with a big smile, but everyone knows she's a fraud with a dagger in her smile.
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