一把温柔刀
[yī bă wēn róu dāo]
The term ‘a soft knife' originates from the ancient Chinese poem that describes the feeling where tenderness and intimacy can be both comforting and subtly hurtful. It signifies that some feelings or things are like knives wrapped in soft cloth; seemingly affectionate but still able to cause harm, pointing out a kind of relationship situation which is sweet on the surface yet can be hurtful.