锋芒毕露

鋒芒畢露
fēngmángbìlù
idiom #36,728

Meanings

  1. 1 to show off one's talent and edge openly
  2. 2 to display one's brilliance for all to see

Examples

Tā gāng jìn gōngsī jiù fēngmángbìlù, yǐnqǐ le tóngshì de jídù.
He showed off his talent the moment he joined the company, which made his colleagues jealous.
Niánqīngrén búbì fēngmángbìlù, dǒngde shōuliǎn gèng xiǎn chéngshú.
Young people don't need to flaunt their talent — knowing when to hold back shows greater maturity.

Tips

usage
Slightly negative-leaning. The neutral version is 锋芒 (fēngmáng, sharp edge/talent); (bìlù) means 'completely exposed', so the whole phrase says 'edge is fully on display' — usually with the implication that some restraint would be wiser.
history
The phrase appears in Hua Ershi's《衣冠》where it describes a high-ranking general whose talent is too visible — a recurring theme in Chinese culture, where (cángfēng, hiding one's edge) is often praised over (lùfēng, showing it).

Stroke Order

fēng
máng