明槍易躲，暗箭難防

lit. easy to dodge the spear in the open, hard to avoid a stab in the dark (idiom); it is hard to guard against secret conspiracies

Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) / surname Ming / Ming (c. 2000 BC), fourth of the legendary Flame Emperors, 炎帝[Yan2 di4] descended from Shennong 神農|神农[Shen2 nong2] Farmer God

bright / opposite: dark 暗[an4] / (of meaning) clear / to understand / next / public or open / wise / generic term for a sacrifice to the gods

surname Qiang

gun / firearm / rifle / spear / thing with shape or function similar to a gun / CL:支[zhi1],把[ba3],桿|杆[gan3],條|条[tiao2],枝[zhi1] / to substitute for another person in a test / to knock / classifier for rifle shots

easy / amiable / to change / to exchange / prefix corresponding to the English adjective suffix "-able" or "-ible" / abbr. for 易經|易经[Yi4 jing1], the Book of Changes

to hide / to dodge / to avoid

variant of 暗[an4]

dark / gloomy / hidden / secret / muddled / obscure / in the dark

to close (a door) / to eclipse / muddled / stupid / ignorant / variant of 暗[an4]

attack by a hidden enemy / a stab in the back

attack by a hidden enemy; a stab in the back

arrow / CL:支[zhi1]

difficult (to...) / problem / difficulty / difficult / not good

disaster / distress / to scold

to protect / to defend / to guard against / to prevent