literary embellishment; cover up faults
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesnoun
literary embellishment; ornamental writing; rhetorical polish
Refers to decorative or polished language in writing. Can be positive (elegant style) or negative (excessive ornamentation).
Zhè这
duàn段
miáo描
xiě写
，
wén文
shì饰
jiào较
shǎo少
。
This passage has little rhetorical embellishment.
Zhè这
piān篇
wén文
zhāng章
wén文
shì饰
guò过
duō多
，
xiǎn显
de得
bù不
gòu够
zì自
rán然
。
This article is over-embellished, making it seem unnatural.
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Hǎo好
de的
sǎn散
wén文
yīng应
gāi该
wén文
zhì质
jiān兼
bèi备
，
bù不
néng能
zhī只
yǒu有
huá华
lì丽
de的
wén文
shì饰
。
Good prose should combine substance with style, not just have ornate decoration.
verb
to gloss over; to cover up; to whitewash (one's faults)
formalHistorically read as wènshì (旧读 wènshì). Often carries a negative connotation of concealing mistakes or wrongdoing. More formal/literary in register.
Tā他
shì试
tú图
yòng用
huǎng谎
yán言
lái来
wén文
shì饰
zì自
jǐ己
de的
guò过
cuò错
。
He tried to use lies to gloss over his own mistakes.
Bù不
yào要
wèi为
le了
miàn面
zi子
ér而
wén文
shì饰
cuò错
wù误
，
yīng应
gāi该
yǒng勇
yú于
chéng承
rèn认
bìng并
gǎi改
zhèng正
。
Don't try to cover up mistakes just to save face; you should bravely admit and correct them.
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Lì历
shǐ史
bù不
róng容
wén文
shì饰
，
zhēn真
xiàng相
zhōng终
jiāng将
dà大
bái白
yú于
tiān天
xià下
。
History cannot be whitewashed; the truth will eventually come to light.