锋芒毕露 (fēng máng bì lù) — to flaunt one's abilities; to be too showy or a… | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

An idiom meaning 'to show off one's talents too openly'. Carries a negative judgment — the person comes across as arrogant or pushy, unlike modest displays of ability.

idiom

to flaunt one's abilitiesto be too showy or aggressive in displaying one's talents

Examples

，锋芒毕露，。
Tā cóng xiǎo jiù hěn cōng ming, dàn zǒng shì fēng máng bì lù, suǒ yǐ dé zuì le bù shǎo rén.
He was very smart since childhood, but he always flaunted his abilities, which offended many people.
，锋芒毕露。
Zài zhí chǎng zhōng, fēng máng bì lù de rén wǎng wǎng bú shòu huān yíng.
In the workplace, people who show off their talents too much are often unpopular.
，锋芒毕露，。
Tā zuò shì tài gāo diào, fēng máng bì lù, zuì hòu chī le dà kuī.
He was too high-profile and flaunted his abilities, which ended up costing him dearly.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

锋芒edge and awn

锋fēngedge芒mángawn

联合Side by side

毕露all revealed

毕bìall露lùreveal

偏正Modifier + head

The 锋芒 of a blade and its awn are 毕露, all revealed.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鋒; 锋 is its simplified writing.

金夆鋒

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

夆

夆páng鋒fēng

Same sound today

The traditional form 鋒 pairs 金 (metal) with a sound part 夆; the simplified 锋 is a shorthand.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

艹亡芒

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

亡

亡wáng芒máng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

芒 pairs 艹 (grass) with 亡 as a sound part.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 畢; 毕 is its simplified writing.

田田tiánfield
𠦒𠦒𠦒net

The traditional form 畢 combines 田 (field) and 𠦒 (net), showing a net used for hunting in a field.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

雨路露

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

路

路lù露lù

Same sound today

露 pairs 雨, a rain-related meaning part, with 路, a sound part.

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.