葫芦瓢，里虚葫蘆瓢，里虛葫蘆瓢，里虛

a gourd ladle: the inside (reason) is hollow

Saying俗语俗語

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

Meaning: Describes someone who has done wrong and fears being found out, feeling guilty and in the wrong.
Wordplay: 里 (lǐ, inside) is a pun on 理 (lǐ, reason, right); a gourd ladle is hollow inside, and a person lacking 理 feels uneasy.

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Simplified: 葫芦瓢，里虚
Traditional (Taiwan): 葫蘆瓢，里虛
Pinyin: húlu piáo, lǐ xū
Bopomofo: ㄏㄨˊ ˙ㄌㄨㄆㄧㄠˊ，ㄌㄧˇ ㄒㄩ

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

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