狗嘴里吐不出象牙

Traditional form:

狗嘴裏吐不出象牙

Pinyin (reading):

gǒuzuǐlitǔbùchūxiàngyá

Definitions:

• lit. no ivory comes from the mouth of a dog (idiom)
• fig. one does not expect fine words from a scoundrel

Characters:

• 狗 - dog
• 嘴 - mouth, lips
• 里 - unit of distance equal to 0.5km; village; lane
• 吐 - to vomit, to spew out, to cough up; to say
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 出 - to go out, to send out; stand; produce
• 象 - elephant; ivory; figure, image
• 牙 - tooth, molar; fang, tusk; serrated

Traditional characters:

• 狗 - dog
• 嘴 - mouth, lips
• 裏 - inside, interior, within
• 吐 - to vomit, to spew out, to cough up; to say
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 出 - to go out, to send out; stand; produce
• 象 - elephant; ivory; figure, image
• 牙 - tooth, molar; fang, tusk; serrated