English–Chinese
“tip of the iceberg” in Chinese
Chinese
Pronunciation
Pinyinbīng shān yī jiǎo
Example
这件事不过是冰山一角，别太担心。zhè jiàn shì bú guò shì bīng shān yì jiǎo bié tài dān xīn
This matter is only the tip of the iceberg, so don't worry too much.
How to say “tip of the iceberg” in Chinese
“Tip of the iceberg” in Chinese is 冰山一角 (bīng shān yī jiǎo).
A fragment in plain view that signals a far larger reality beneath the surface.
Example sentences with 冰山一角
这次的疼痛可能只是冰山一角，医生建议做进一步检查。zhè cì de téng tòng kě néng zhǐ shì bīng shān yì jiǎo yī shēng jiàn yì zuò jìn yí bù jiǎn chá
This pain may be just the tip of the iceberg; the doctor recommended further tests.
Tips for using 冰山一角
- In everyday conversation, this idiom often suggests that a known problem is part of a larger situation, not that the visible part is merely a small sample.