huà​hǔ​huà​pí​nán​huà​gǔ

knowing the outside but not the inside

Senses

画虎画皮难画骨 huà​hǔ​huà​pí​nán​huà​gǔ knowing the outside but not the inside

you can paint a tiger's skin but it is hard to paint the bones; it is easy to know a person's appearance but difficult to know their true character

References

see 知人知面不知心/知人知面不知心 画虎画皮难画骨/画虎画皮难画骨