諺語 · a single proverb
口蜜腹劍
Simplified: 口蜜腹剑
What does 口蜜腹劍 (kǒu mì fù jiàn) mean?
口蜜腹劍 (kǒu mì fù jiàn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "honey in the mouth, sword in the belly." In use it means: Sweet words hiding murderous intent. The person who flatters you while preparing to betray you. The most dangerous enemy is the one who smiles. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Snake.
Literally: "honey in the mouth, sword in the belly."
The reading
The sweetest voice in the room is sometimes the sharpest knife. Not always. But often enough that the correlation is worth noticing. Real warmth does not perform. It just is. The person whose kindness feels like a spotlight instead of sunlight is illuminating you for a reason. Step out of the beam and watch what happens to the smile.
What kind of proverb it is
Source History of Tang 資治通鑒; describes chancellor Li Linfu 李林甫 (Tang dynasty)
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 口蜜腹劍 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 口蜜腹劍 (kǒu mì fù jiàn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from History of Tang 資治通鑒; describes chancellor Li Linfu 李林甫 (Tang dynasty). It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 口蜜腹劍?
In Mandarin it is kǒu mì fù jiàn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 口蜜腹劍 aloud in Mandarin.