两面三刀

兩面三刀
liǎngmiàn-sāndāo
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 two-faced and three-knived
  2. 2 double-dealing
  3. 3 to stab in the back while smiling

Examples

HSK 3
Zhèzhǒng liǎngmiàn-sāndāo de rén bù zhíde jiāowǎng.
People this two-faced aren't worth befriending.
HSK 6
Tuánduì lǐ róng bùxià liǎngmiàn-sāndāo de rén.
A team has no room for two-faced backstabbers.
HSK 7-9
Tā dāngmiàn yī tào, bèihòu yī tào, zhēnshì liǎngmiàn-sāndāo.
One way to your face, another behind your back - he's a total backstabber.

Tips

history
First recorded in 李行道's Yuan-dynasty play 灰阑记, in which the phrase describes a scheming wife plotting against her husband. The imagery is of showing two faces while hiding three knives.

Stroke Order

liǎng
miàn
sān
dāo