批逆鱗
pī​nì​lín

offend the emperor or a powerful person

  • created reference approved 批逆鳞/批逆鱗 → 逆鳞/逆鱗 (see) — "Initial import from upstream dictionary"

    批逆鳞 / 批逆鱗 pī​nì​lín

    逆鳞 / 逆鱗 nì​lín

    see

    Changed: source (simp), source (trad), source pinyin, target (simp), target (trad), target pinyin, type

    created reference

  • created sense approved 批逆鳞/批逆鱗 · pī​nì​lín · offend the emperor or a powerful person — "Initial import from upstream dictionary"

    批逆鳞 / 批逆鱗

    pī​nì​lín

    offend the emperor or a powerful person

    To offend a powerful person or a ruler by touching a sensitive subject; often used to describe a subordinate giving blunt advice or criticism to a superior.

    批, 逆, 鳞

    批 (literal) → 批 · pī · to slap 逆鳞 (literal) → 逆鳞/逆鱗 · nì​lín · unfavorable scales

    Changed: simplified, traditional, gloss, definition, pinyin, variant pinyin, variants, separable parts, decomposition

    created sense