Definition
This idiom means 'the tip of the iceberg' — a small, visible part of a much larger, hidden problem or situation. It is used metaphorically, not literally, to emphasize that what is seen is only a fraction of the whole.
idiom
tip of the iceberg
Examples
- 冰山一角，。Zhèxiē wèntí zhǐ shì bīng shān-yì jiǎo, zhēnzhèng de máfan hái méi lái.These problems are just the tip of the iceberg; the real trouble hasn't come yet.
- 冰山一角，。Jǐngchá fāxiàn de xiànsuǒ zhǐ shì bīng shān-yì jiǎo, bèihòu hái yǒu gèng dà de zǔzhī.The clues the police found are just the tip of the iceberg; there is a larger organization behind it.
- 冰山一角，。Biǎomiàn shàng kàn dào de zhǐ shì bīng shān-yì jiǎo, shíjì qíngkuàng fùzá de duō.What you see on the surface is just the tip of the iceberg; the actual situation is far more complicated.
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