guān​gōng​mài​dòu​fu

tough man selling soft tofu

Senses

关公卖豆腐/ 關公賣豆腐 guān​gōng​mài​dòu​fu (also guān​gōng​mài​dòu​fǔ) tough man selling soft tofu

(two-part allegorical saying) the man is hard but the goods are soft; describes someone who acts tough or tries to show off but lacks the actual ability or substance to back it up

References

variant 关公卖豆腐/關公賣豆腐 关王卖豆腐/關王賣豆腐