<p>It is not an idiom, but a typical <a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%A0%86%E5%8F%A3%E6%BA%9C" rel="nofollow noreferrer">順口溜</a> (Jingle)</p>

<p>表面(on the surface)</p>

<p>風光(look good)* <em>short from 好風光(good scenery)- something look good in people's eyes)</em></p>

<p>內裏(inside)</p>

<p><a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/15331/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">陰乾</a>(slowly dry up in dry dark place)</p>

<p>It means 'someone seems well off in the public's eyes, but in reality, is flat broke.'</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-07T02:24:28.073Z
2017-01-07T13:26:19.653Z
2017-01-07T13:26:19.653Z
Tang Ho
<p>I'd like to recommend another.</p>

<p>In simplified Chinese, you can find a similar but different one</p>

<p>金玉其外，败絮其中</p>

<p>金玉其外, on the surface it is gold</p>

<p>败絮其中, but inside it is just rubbish</p>

<p>It's very impolite to describe a person in this way. That means this guy is actually an asshole but masked with a polite, friendly and gorgeous appearance.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-09T02:49:54.990Z
2017-01-09T02:55:52.257Z
2017-01-09T02:55:52.257Z
Nan Zhou
<p>Translate 表面風光、內裏陰乾 in english.</p>

<p>Where is this ancient idiom coming from by the way?</p>

<idioms>
Translate 表面風光、內裏陰乾 in English
# Translate 表面風光、內裏陰乾 in English

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-01-07)

Translate 表面風光、內裏陰乾 in english.

Where is this ancient idiom coming from by the way?

**Tags:** idioms

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-01-07. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

It is not an idiom, but a typical [順口溜](https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%A0%86%E5%8F%A3%E6%BA%9C) (Jingle)

表面(on the surface)

風光(look good)\* *short from 好風光(good scenery)- something look good in people's eyes)*

內裏(inside)

[陰乾](http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/15331/)(slowly dry up in dry dark place)

It means 'someone seems well off in the public's eyes, but in reality, is flat broke.'


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### Answer by username_2 on 2017-01-09. Score: 0

I'd like to recommend another.

In simplified Chinese, you can find a similar but different one

金玉其外，败絮其中

金玉其外, on the surface it is gold

败絮其中, but inside it is just rubbish

It's very impolite to describe a person in this way. That means this guy is actually an asshole but masked with a polite, friendly and gorgeous appearance.


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