Chinese language vocabulary 汉语词汇 城府 (chéng fǔ) shrewdness

城府 (chéng fǔ) shrewdness 

Usage:

 

“城府”本义是指城中的官府，普通人一般是无法进入的。比喻让人难以想到的深远用心或者不容易了解的想法。

The original meaning of “城府” is the government office in the city which ordinary people are not easy to go into. It is the metaphor of shrewdness or ideas hard to be understood.

Sentences:

 

1、Tā méi shénme chéngfǔ,xīnlǐ zěnme xiǎng jiù zěnme shuō.
他没什么城府，心里怎么想就怎么说。

He is not shrewd. He tells what he thinks directly.

2、Zhè duì shuāngbāotāi de xìnggé wánquán bùtōng. Qiáo xīn wú chéngfǔ, xǐ nù āi lè dōu guà zài liǎnshàng; Jiékè chéngfǔ jí shēn, méiyǒu rén zhīdào tā de xiǎngfǎ.
这对双胞胎的性格完全不同。乔心无城府，喜怒哀乐都挂在脸上；杰克城府极深，没有人知道他的想法。

The personality of the twins has nothing in common. Joe’s expressions show his passion, while Jack is a real poker face and no one knows his idea.