笑裡藏刀

Chinese

	laugh; smile	inside; within; in inside; within; in; lining of clothing	storehouse; depository; Buddhist or Taoist scripture storehouse; depository; Buddhist or Taoist scripture; Zang; Tibet; to hide away; to conceal; to harbor; store; accumulate	knife
trad. (笑裡藏刀/笑裏藏刀)	笑	裡/裏	藏	刀
simp. (笑里藏刀)	笑	里	藏	刀
Literally: “a dagger hidden in smiles”.

Etymology

First used for describing Li Yifu:

義府貌狀溫恭，與人語必嬉怡微笑，而褊忌陰賊。既處權要，欲人附己，微忤意者，輒加傾陷。故時人言義府笑中有刀，又以其柔而害物，亦謂之「李貓」。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]

义府貌状温恭，与人语必嬉怡微笑，而褊忌阴贼。既处权要，欲人附己，微忤意者，辄加倾陷。故时人言义府笑中有刀，又以其柔而害物，亦谓之「李猫」。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

From: The Old Book of Tang, 945 CE

Yìfǔ màozhuàng wēngōng, yǔ rén yǔ bì xīyí wēixiào, ér biǎnjì yīnzéi. Jì chù quányào, yù rén fù jǐ, wēi wǔ yì zhě, zhé jiā qīngxiàn. Gù shírén yán yìfǔ xiào zhōng yǒu dāo, yòu yǐ qí róu ér hài wù, yì wèi zhī “Lǐ māo”. [Pinyin]

Li Yifu appeared to be mild and humble. When he was talking to others, he was always smiling. However, he was actually full of treachery and machinations. When he rose to power, he demanded people to follow him. He would set up anyone who violated his ideas. Therefore, people at that time said that he had knives in his smile, and he was also referred to as "Cat Li", referring to his insincere smiles.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): xiàolǐcángdāo

(Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄠˋ ㄌㄧˇ ㄘㄤˊ ㄉㄠ
Cantonese (Jyutping): siu³ leoi⁵ cong⁴ dou¹

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: xiàolǐcángdāo
  - Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄠˋ ㄌㄧˇ ㄘㄤˊ ㄉㄠ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: siàolǐcángdao
  - Wade–Giles: hsiao⁴-li³-tsʻang²-tao¹
  - Yale: syàu-lǐ-tsáng-dāu
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shiawliitsarngdau
  - Palladius: сяолицандао (sjaolicandao)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡sʰɑŋ³⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: siu³ leoi⁵ cong⁴ dou¹
  - Yale: siu léuih chòhng dōu
  - Cantonese Pinyin: siu³ loey⁵ tsong⁴ dou¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: xiu³ lêu⁵ cong⁴ dou¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /siːu̯³³ lɵy̯¹³ t͡sʰɔːŋ²¹ tou̯⁵⁵/

Idiom

笑裡藏刀

to act in a friendly manner with hypocritical intentions; to be a wolf in sheep's clothing

Synonyms

口蜜腹劍 / 口蜜腹剑 (kǒumìfùjiàn)
笑騎騎，放毒蛇 / 笑骑骑，放毒蛇 (siu³ ke⁴ ke⁴, fong³ duk⁶ se⁴) (Cantonese)
面浪笑呵呵，肚裡毒蛇窠 / 面浪笑呵呵，肚里毒蛇窠 (Wu)