| 金玉其外，败絮其中 |
jīn yù qí wài , bài xù qí zhōng |
gilded exterior, shabby and ruined on the inside (idiom) |
| 金 |
Jīn |
surname Jin / surname Kim (Korean) / Jurchen Jin dynasty (1115-1234) |
| 金 |
jīn |
gold / chemical element Au / generic term for lustrous and ductile metals / money / golden / highly respected / one of the eight categories of ancient musical instruments 八音 |
| 金玉 |
jīn yù |
gold and jade / precious |
| 玉 |
yù |
jade |
| 其 |
qí |
his / her / its / their / that / such / it (refers to sth preceding it) |
| 其外 |
qí wài |
besides / in addition / apart from that |
| 外 |
wài |
outside / in addition / foreign / external |
| 败 |
bài |
to defeat / to damage / to lose (to an opponent) / to fail / to wither |
| 败絮 |
bài xù |
ruined / broken down / shabby |
| 絮 |
xù |
cotton wadding / fig. padding / long-winded |
| 其 |
qí |
his / her / its / their / that / such / it (refers to sth preceding it) |
| 其中 |
qí zhōng |
among / in / included among these |
| 中 |
Zhōng |
(bound form) China; Chinese / surname Zhong |
| 中 |
zhōng |
within; among; in / middle; center / while (doing sth); during / (dialect) OK; all right |
| 中 |
zhòng |
to hit (the mark) / to be hit by / to suffer / to win (a prize, a lottery) |