empty talk; idle talk; lip service
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesverb
to engage in empty talk; to just talk without action
formalCriticizes someone who makes promises or plans but never follows through. Often used in formal contexts to urge practical action.
Lǐng领
dǎo导
qiáng强
diào调
yào要
shí实
gàn干
，
qiè切
jì忌
kōng空
tán谈
。
The leader emphasized the need for practical action and warned against empty talk.
Tā他
zhǐ只
huì会
kōng空
tán谈
lǐ理
xiǎng想
，
cóng从
bù不
jiàn见
tā他
xíng行
dòng动
。
He only engages in empty talk about ideals; we never see him act.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Kōng空
tán谈
wù误
guó国
，
shí实
gàn干
xīng兴
bāng邦
。
Empty talk harms the nation, while solid work brings prosperity.
noun
idle talk; empty rhetoric; impractical words
formalRefers to speech or theories that sound good but lack substance or feasibility.
Nà那
xiē些
guān冠
miǎn冕
táng堂
huáng皇
de的
dào道
lǐ理
bù不
guò过
shì是
wěi娓
wěi娓
dòng动
tīng听
de的
kōng空
tán谈
。
Those high-sounding principles are merely eloquent but empty rhetoric.
Zhè这
ge个
jì计
huà划
tīng听
qǐ起
lái来
hěn很
měi美
，
dàn但
hěn很
kě可
néng能
zhǐ只
shì是
kōng空
tán谈
。
This plan sounds wonderful, but it's likely just idle talk.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Tā他
yàn厌
juàn倦
le了
huì会
yì议
shàng上
de的
gè各
zhǒng种
kōng空
tán谈
，
kě渴
wàng望
kàn看
dào到
shí实
jì际
chéng成
guǒ果
。
He is tired of all the empty talk in meetings and longs to see concrete results.