This warns that you cannot truly know what another person is thinking or what their true intentions are, no matter how close you are to them. It advises caution in trusting others too easily.
This saying reflects a deep-seated wariness in Chinese social psychology, where maintaining harmony often requires reading between the lines. It acknowledges the gap between outward appearance and inner reality.
Chinese people use this saying to express protective skepticism. In a culture that values social harmony and saving face, people often hide true feelings, so this proverb reminds individuals to be observant and not naive—it signals emotional intelligence and self-protection.
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