| 明枪易躲，暗箭难防 |
míng qiāng yì duǒ , àn jiàn nán fáng |
lit. easy to dodge the spear in the open, hard to avoid a stab in the dark (idiom); it is hard to guard against secret conspiracies |
| 明 |
Míng |
Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) / surname Ming / Ming (c. 2000 BC), fourth of the legendary Flame Emperors, 炎帝 descended from Shennong 神农 Farmer God |
| 明 |
míng |
bright / opposite: dark 暗 / (of meaning) clear / to understand / next / public or open / wise / generic term for a sacrifice to the gods |
| 枪 |
Qiāng |
surname Qiang |
| 枪 |
qiāng |
gun / firearm / rifle / spear / thing with shape or function similar to a gun / CL:支,把,杆,条,枝 / to substitute for another person in a test / to knock / classifier for rifle shots |
| 枪 |
qiāng |
variant of 枪 / rifle / spear |
| 易 |
Yì |
surname Yi / abbr. for 易经, the Book of Changes |
| 易 |
yì |
easy / amiable / to change / to exchange / prefix corresponding to the English adjective suffix "-able" or "-ible" |
| 躲 |
duǒ |
to hide / to dodge / to avoid |
| 暗 |
àn |
variant of 暗 |
| 暗 |
àn |
dark / to turn dark / secret; hidden / (literary) confused; ignorant |
| 暗 |
àn |
(literary) to close (a door) / to eclipse / confused; ignorant (variant of 暗) / dark (variant of 暗) |
| 暗箭 |
àn jiàn |
attack by a hidden enemy; a stab in the back |
| 箭 |
jiàn |
arrow / CL:支 |
| 难 |
nán |
difficult (to...) / problem / difficulty / difficult / not good |
| 难 |
nàn |
disaster / distress / to scold |
| 防 |
fáng |
to protect / to defend / to guard against / to prevent |