Chinese idiom: xiào lĭ cáng dāo

Hide a dagger in a smile

During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), there was a minister named Li Yifu. He was very good at flattering people, so his official position was raised higher and higher and he eventually became the prime minister. However, Li was a vicious man. When he talked with people he always wore a sweet smile, but he was conjuring up evil ideas in his mind.

One day, Li learned that a beautiful woman was put in prison. He sent for the prison officer and ordered him to set the woman free. The man followed the order and Li took the woman home.

Later, someone reported the case to the emperor. The prison officer was very afraid because he knew he had committed a crime by setting the criminal free. He went to Li for help, but Li ignored him and asked the man not to disturb him anymore. The man was so disappointed that he hanged himself.

Hearing the tragic suicide of the prison officer, another officer wanted to reveal the truth to the emperor. Li, however, knew of this plan and began to make false accusations against the officer. The foolish emperor believed Li's words and exiled the officer to a distant land.

The idiom "hide a dagger in a smile" has come to describe a person with a murderous intent behind his/her smile.

笑里藏刀(xiào lĭ cáng dāo)

唐朝有個(gè)大臣叫李義甫,他很會(huì)奉承別人,所以他的官做得越來越大,一直做到了丞相.他是一個(gè)很惡毒的人.當(dāng)他笑著對(duì)別人說話時(shí),其實(shí)心里面想的是壞主意.

一次,有個(gè)年輕女子犯了罪被關(guān)進(jìn)牢里.李義甫聽說這個(gè)女子長得很漂亮,就叫監(jiān)獄長把她放了.監(jiān)獄長聽從了他的話,把這個(gè)女子放了.李義甫就把這個(gè)美麗女子帶回了家.

后來,有人向皇上告發(fā)了這件事.這個(gè)監(jiān)獄長知道后,非常害怕,因?yàn)樗椒欧溉耸欠阜ǖ?他就向李義甫求助.誰知李義甫不但否認(rèn)這件事,而且還叫這個(gè)監(jiān)獄長別來煩他.這個(gè)可憐的人失望極了,就上吊自殺了.

有一個(gè)大臣聽說了這件事,想向皇上說明真相,被李義甫知道了,他就先到皇上面前說這個(gè)官員的壞話.皇上聽信了他的讒言,就把這個(gè)官員發(fā)配到很遠(yuǎn)的地方去了.

后來,人們就用它來形容一個(gè)人外表和氣,內(nèi)心陰險(xiǎn).