外圓內方

wàiyuánnèifāng

round outside but square inside—outwardly gentle but inwardly stern

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wai4 yuan2 nei4 fang1

lit. outside-flexible, inside-firm (idiom), fig. velvet glove

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外圓內方|外圆内方 [wài yuán nèi fāng] ► lit. outside-flexible, inside-firm (idiom) ► fig. velvet glove