talk big; pay lip service; grandstand
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 5 examplesverb
talk big; pay lip service; make unrealistic, grand statements without action
informalOften used to criticize someone who makes impressive-sounding promises or statements but fails to follow through with concrete actions. Can be used with or without the '儿' suffix (chàng gāodiào/r).
Tā他
zǒng总
zài在
huì会
shàng上
chàng唱
gāo高
diào调
，
chéng承
nuò诺
yào要
gǎi改
gé革
，
dàn但
shén什
me么
shí实
shì事
dōu都
méi没
zuò做
。
He always talks big at meetings, promising reforms, but does nothing substantive.
Wǒ我
men们
fǎn反
duì对
nà那
zhǒng种
zhǐ只
chàng唱
gāo高
diào调
、
bù不
gàn干
shí实
shì事
de的
zuò作
fēng风
。
We oppose that style of just paying lip service without doing practical work.
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Bié别
tīng听
tā他
chàng唱
gāo高
diào调
r儿
le了
，
kàn看
tā他
xià下
yī一
bù步
zěn怎
me么
zuò做
ba吧
。
Don't listen to his grandstanding; let's see what he does next.
Kōng空
tán谈
wù误
guó国
，
shí实
gàn干
xīng兴
bāng邦
，
wǒ我
men们
bù不
néng能
zhǐ只
huì会
chàng唱
gāo高
diào调
。
Empty talk harms the nation, solid work brings prosperity; we cannot just be good at talking big.
Tā他
bù不
shì是
zhēn真
de的
xiǎng想
jiě解
jué决
wèn问
tí题
，
zhǐ只
shì是
zài在
méi媒
tǐ体
miàn面
qián前
chàng唱
gāo高
diào调
bà罢
le了
。
He doesn't really want to solve the problem; he's just grandstanding in front of the media.