猾黠 (huá xiá) is a literary, two-character compound adjective meaning 'sly and shrewd' — describing someone who is clever in a cunning, calculating, or deceptively astute way. The first character, 猾 (huá), originally meant 'crafty' or 'untrustworthy', often associated with sly animal behavior; the second, 黠 (xiá), emphasizes sharp mental acuity and perceptiveness — together they intensify the sense of intelligent but morally ambiguous cleverness.

This term appears primarily in classical or formal modern Chinese writing — such as historical novels, political commentary, or literary descriptions of characters — rather than casual speech. It carries a mildly negative connotation: the person is not merely smart, but uses intelligence to manipulate, evade responsibility, or gain advantage under the surface. It’s more precise and stylistically elevated than common synonyms like 狡猾 or 聪明, and often implies a quiet, watchful intelligence rather than overt trickery.