make a concealed reference to sth.
Chinese idiom, Pinyin is zh ǐ D ō ngshu ō x ī, meaning to point to the East, but say the West. It's the same thing. From thunderstorm.
The origin of Idioms
Cao Yu's Thunderstorm act 3: "if you want to scold me, just scold me. Don't talk nonsense. Bully my mother. It's easy to talk."
Idiom usage
As a predicate, attribute, adverbial; used in dealing with affairs
Analysis of Idioms
Synonym: referring to the East and the West
make a concealed reference to sth.
rub smooth one 's whole body from the crown to the heel - mó dǐng zhì zhǒng
Eliminate the bad and retain the good - tài liè liú liáng