Meaning:

    “硬” means “hard,” and “柿子” refers to “persimmon.” Most people like to eat sweet and mellow “soft persimmon,” and few would like “hard persimmon,” which are normally raw and acerbic. There is a traditional Chinese saying, “柿子捡软的捏,” which literally means to “pinch on soft persimmons” but in fact is a metaphor for “picking on those who are weak.” Therefore, people have used the term “soft persimmon” as a metaphor for pushovers and “hard persimmon” for tough guys.

    Example:

    A: 明天我们出去办事，能不能让小马和我们一起去？

    Míngtiān wǒmen chūqù bànshì, néngbùnéng ràng xiǎomǎ hé wǒmen yīqǐ qù?

    We’re out running an errand tomorrow. Can you let Xiaoma go with us?

    B: 你想让他当司机送你们啊？还是叫个优步好了。

    Nǐ xiǎng ràng tā dāng sījī sòng nǐmen a？ Háishì jiào gè yōubù hǎo le。

    Are you hoping that he could drive you there? You’d better hail a car by Uber.

    A: 为什么？

    Wèishénme?

    Why?

    B: 他可是个硬柿子，你说两句好话不管用。

    Tā kě shì gè yìngshìzi, nǐ shuō liǎngjù hǎohuà bù guǎnyòng。

    He is a tough guy, who cannot be persuaded to do things easily.