miệng hùm, gan sứa
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Also seen as: miệng hùm gan sứa
Sense 1
Meaning · English
If you cannot bite, never show your teeth.
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Sources & notes
Imported from Wikiquote: Vietnamese proverbs (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29), pending review.
Sense 2
Meaning · English
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Sources & notes
Imported from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); community review pending. source ↗
Equivalents & related
Near equivalent
all bark and no bite
Someone who threatens but does not act
English
Near equivalent
air one's dirty laundry in public
To publicly discuss or disclose one's personal problems or embarrassing issues
English
Near equivalent
vạch áo cho người xem lưng
(verb) to air one's dirty laundry in public
Tiếng Việt · via air one's dirty laundry in public
Lighter cards are two steps away in the meaning graph — equivalents of equivalents, reached via the entry shown on the card.
Common questions
What does “miệng hùm, gan sứa” mean?
If you cannot bite, never show your teeth.
Is “miệng hùm, gan sứa” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.
What is the closest equivalent?
“all bark and no bite” (English) — near equivalent.