📖 Meaning
A sword in its case or a lamp behind a curtain — their gleam inevitably seeps through. Metaphorically describes something that cannot be fully concealed, or the deliberate act of dropping hints to pique attention.
📜 Origin Story
From the 'Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital' (《西京杂记》) Volume 1, recounting the sword used by Emperor Gaozu of Han to slay the white serpent. The blade was adorned with seven-colored pearls and nine-flower jade, housed in a scabbard of five-hued liuli glass. Even sheathed indoors, the sword's radiance shone through the room as if drawn. The later idiom '匣剑帷灯法' appears as a literary technique in Qing dynasty scholar Tang Wenzhi's work on classical prose composition.
💡 Example Usage
他的才华如匣剑帷灯，终究藏不住。
His talent is like a boxed sword and a curtained lamp — in the end, it cannot be hidden.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 匣剑帷灯
- Pinyin: xiá jiàn wéi dēng
- Literal Translation: boxed sword, curtained lamp
- Category: Clarity
- Characters: 4