Chinese idioms like 「剛中柔外」 represent a high level of language skill. This free guide helps you learn their meaning and use.
The idiom 「剛中柔外」 and its usage are explored below. Learn its meaning and applications here.
Gang: hard, strong; Zhong: inside, heart; Rou: weak, soft. Soft on the surface, strong on the inside. Refers to a person’s character of being gentle on the outside but strong on the inside. It also refers to a strategy of appearing friendly on the outside but harboring murderous intent on the inside.
The Mandarin pronunciation of this idiom is :
gāng zhōng róu wài
while its Cantonese pinyin is :
gong1 jung3/jung1 yau4 ngoi6
Chinese idioms are limitless in number and diversity, presenting endless learning opportunities. These tools are here to help you embrace the beauty of the language.
