察言觀色 [－－观－]

Jyutping caat3 jin4 gun1 sik1
Pinyin chá yán guān sè

Definitions (CC-CEDICT)
  1. to weigh up sb's words and observe their facial expression (idiom)
  2. to discern what sb thinks from his body language
Definitions (Wiktionary)
  1. phrase, idiomatic
    to read a person (to interpret or infer a meaning or significance based on facial expression, tone of voice etc)
Definitions (Kaifangcidian)
  1. （沒有對應漢語詞彙）
Examples (Wiktionary)
  1. Mandarin
    张成泽虽然早有肮脏的政治野心，但在金日成主席和金正日总书记在世时不敢兴风作浪而察言观色，在幕后同床异梦、阳奉阴违。
    張成澤雖然早有骯髒的政治野心，但在金日成主席和金正日總書記在世時不敢興風作浪而察言觀色，在幕後同牀異夢、陽奉陰違。
    zhāng chéng zé suī rán zǎo yǒu āng zāng de zhèng zhì yě xīn ， dàn zài jīn rì chéng zhǔ xí hé jīn zhèng rì zǒng shū jì zài shì shí bù gǎn xīng fēng zuò làng ér chá yán guān sè ， zài mù hòu tóng chuáng yì mèng ， yáng fèng yīn wéi ．
    • From long ago, Jang had a dirty political ambition. He dared not raise his head when Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il were alive. But, reading their faces, Jang had an axe to grind and involved himself in double-dealing.