不露声色

不露聲色
bùlù-shēngsè
idiom #36,088

Meanings

  1. 1 to not show one's feelings or intentions
  2. 2 to keep a poker face
  3. 3 to give nothing away in voice or expression

Examples

HSK 3
Tā tīngdào huài xiāoxi, réng bùlù-shēngsè de jìxù gōngzuò.
Even after hearing the bad news, he kept his composure and went on working.
HSK 7-9
Tánpànzhuō shàng tā bùlù-shēngsè, duìfāng gēnběn cāi bù tòu tā de dǐpái.
At the negotiating table she gave nothing away; the other side couldn't read her hand at all.

Tips

history
From 《资治通鉴·唐玄宗开元二十四年》, describing how Chancellor Li Linfu would use sweet words to bait people while secretly undermining them, never letting his words or expression betray him (好以甘言啗人,而阴中伤之,不露辞色). The phrase has stayed in use as a description of impressive self-control.
memory
Literal pieces: 不露 ('not reveal') + ('voice') + ('expression'), neither voice nor face leaks anything.

Stroke Order

shēng