<p>In a direct translation, "咬人的狗不叫", but it's not a 成语, it's a slang.</p>

<p>Similar 成语：</p>

<p>虚张声势: pretend to be strong to make others fear.</p>

<p>深藏不露: very talented or strong, but hiding from the others.</p>

<p>不露锋芒: same meaning as above.</p>

<p>韬光养晦: Hide one's capacity and bide one's time(Not sure it's a good match but similar with 深藏不露)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-17T19:28:29.680Z
@user6065 "空容器发出的声音最大" is a really inauthentic expression.
Kevman
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-17T18:30:20.313Z
2017-04-17T19:29:43.600Z
2017-04-17T19:29:43.600Z
Kevman
<p>Here's some supplement to Kevman's answer.</p>

<p>色厉内荏："A bully is always a coward，" it literally means that looking tough outside but actually stuffed with straw. </p>

<p>外强中干："outwardly strong and inwardly weak。"</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-18T03:20:42.797Z
2017-04-18T03:20:42.797Z
Joshua Tyan
<p>I recommend "满瓶不动半瓶摇", which means a bottle full of water is quiet when you shake it, while a bottle with a little water makes sound when being shook. Alluding that people with rich knowledges always keep a low profile, while those people with superficial knowledge like showing off.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-18T02:44:46.203Z
2017-04-18T02:44:46.203Z
Cheng Chen
<p>Actually, I think the English saying is: All bark and no bite, which is 光说不练 </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-17T22:17:24.513Z
2017-04-17T22:17:24.513Z
Pedroski
<p>I didn't see this previously listed, and it seems to come close:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E9%9B%B7%E5%A3%B0%E5%A4%A7%E9%9B%A8%E7%82%B9%E5%B0%8F/518874" rel="nofollow noreferrer">雷声大，雨点小</a><br>
  Loud thunder, little rain</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-03T12:38:10.637Z
2020-01-03T12:38:10.637Z
Becky 李蓓
<p>I think this is similar but a bit different from "Barking dog never bites". The Chinese phrase 丑人多作怪 would be a good translation</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-19T16:25:44.260Z
2017-04-19T16:25:44.260Z
jf328
<p>人不可貌相，海水不可斗量
means
do not judge a book by it's cover</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-04T17:09:26.100Z
2020-01-04T17:09:26.100Z
Cheney Lin
<p>What are some 成语 that mean something like "little dogs always bark the loudest", or "little dogs are mean"?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-17T15:00:45.617Z
The smallest dogs always bark the loudest
user6065
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-02T18:55:40.230Z
i don't know if this is the right place to ask this but I'm looking for the expression used at 7:07 in 千禧曼波 (millennium mambo) which is translated as "all bark and no bite"
emilie
<chengyu>
Is there a 成语 that means something like "Little dogs always bark the loudest"?
# Is there a 成语 that means something like "Little dogs always bark the loudest"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-04-17)

What are some 成语 that mean something like "little dogs always bark the loudest", or "little dogs are mean"?

**Tags:** chengyu

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The smallest dogs always bark the loudest  
> **username_2**: i don't know if this is the right place to ask this but I'm looking for the expression used at 7:07 in 千禧曼波 (millennium mambo) which is translated as "all bark and no bite"  

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## 7 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-04-17. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

In a direct translation, "咬人的狗不叫", but it's not a 成语, it's a slang.

Similar 成语：

虚张声势: pretend to be strong to make others fear.

深藏不露: very talented or strong, but hiding from the others.

不露锋芒: same meaning as above.

韬光养晦: Hide one's capacity and bide one's time(Not sure it's a good match but similar with 深藏不露)

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: @username_1 "空容器发出的声音最大" is a really inauthentic expression.  

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### Answer by username_4 on 2017-04-18. Score: 4

Here's some supplement to username_3's answer.

色厉内荏："A bully is always a coward，" it literally means that looking tough outside but actually stuffed with straw.

外强中干："outwardly strong and inwardly weak。"


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### Answer by username_5 on 2017-04-18. Score: 1

I recommend "满瓶不动半瓶摇", which means a bottle full of water is quiet when you shake it, while a bottle with a little water makes sound when being shook. Alluding that people with rich knowledges always keep a low profile, while those people with superficial knowledge like showing off.


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### Answer by username_6 on 2017-04-17. Score: 1

Actually, I think the English saying is: All bark and no bite, which is 光说不练


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### Answer by username_7 on 2020-01-03. Score: 1

I didn't see this previously listed, and it seems to come close:

> [雷声大，雨点小](https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E9%9B%B7%E5%A3%B0%E5%A4%A7%E9%9B%A8%E7%82%B9%E5%B0%8F/518874)  
> Loud thunder, little rain


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### Answer by username_8 on 2017-04-19. Score: 0

I think this is similar but a bit different from "Barking dog never bites". The Chinese phrase 丑人多作怪 would be a good translation


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### Answer by username_9 on 2020-01-04. Score: 0

人不可貌相，海水不可斗量
means
do not judge a book by it's cover


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