da cóc mà bọc bột-lọc, bột-lọc mà bọc hòn than

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Toad-skin wrapping tapioca-white, wrapping a coal-black heart — the longan riddle; appearances nested three layers deep.

Literally: toad hide holds white starch, white starch holds a charcoal lump

Examples

Da cóc mà bọc bột lọc, bột lọc mà bọc hòn than.Toad skin over white flour over black coal — the longan.

Editorial example (VI sweep batch 040, illustrative)

Sources & notes

Discovered via Nam ngạn chích cẩm (Phạm Quang Sán, 1918; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Nam ngạn chích cẩm (Phạm Quang Sán, 1918). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.

Common questions

What does “da cóc mà bọc bột-lọc, bột-lọc mà bọc hòn than” mean?

Toad-skin wrapping tapioca-white, wrapping a coal-black heart — the longan riddle; appearances nested three layers deep. Literally: toad hide holds white starch, white starch holds a charcoal lump

Is “da cóc mà bọc bột-lọc, bột-lọc mà bọc hòn than” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.