棉桃里面找核桃，专拣硬的敲棉桃裡面找核桃，專揀硬的敲棉桃裏面找核桃，專揀硬的敲

looking for walnuts inside cotton bolls: picking only the hard ones to crack

Saying俗语俗語

Two-part saying歇后语歇後語 · Rarely used now

Meaning: Going after those who are tough or strong, such as opponents with firm attitudes or real strength.
Wordplay: 硬 yìng means both 'hard' (walnuts) and 'tough, strong' (opponents).

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Simplified: 棉桃里面找核桃，专拣硬的敲
Traditional (Taiwan): 棉桃裡面找核桃，專揀硬的敲
Traditional (Hong Kong): 棉桃裏面找核桃，專揀硬的敲
Pinyin: miántáo lǐmiàn zhǎo hétao, zhuān jiǎn yìng de qiāo
Bopomofo: ㄇㄧㄢˊ ㄊㄠˊ ㄌㄧˇ ㄇㄧㄢˋ ㄓㄠˇ ㄏㄜˊ ˙ㄊㄠ，ㄓㄨㄢㄐㄧㄢˇ ㄧㄥˋ ˙ㄉㄜㄑㄧㄠ

Written with HSK 7-9 vocabulary, at CEFR level C1.

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