put on airs; make a great show of being serious
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to make a great show of being serious; to put on airs; to pretend as if something were really the case
derogatoryOften used critically to describe someone acting pretentious or putting on airs, acting more important or serious than they actually are. The variant 煞有介事 is more commonly used.
Tā他
xiàng像
shà煞
yǒu有
jiè介
shì事
de地
xuān宣
bù布
le了
zhè这
gè个
xiāo消
xi息
，
qí其
shí实
dà大
jiā家
dōu都
yǐ已
jīng经
zhī知
dào道
le了
。
He announced the news with great solemnity, as if it were a big deal, but everyone already knew about it.
Bié别
kàn看
tā他
xiàng像
shà煞
yǒu有
jiè介
shì事
de地
chuān穿
zhe着
xī西
zhuāng装
，
qí其
shí实
tā他
duì对
shāng商
wù务
lǐ礼
yí仪
yī一
qiào窍
bù不
tōng通
。
Don't be fooled by his serious airs in that suit; he actually knows nothing about business etiquette.
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Tā他
zhǐ只
shì是
gè个
xiǎo小
zhí职
yuán员
，
què却
zhěng整
tiān天
xiàng像
shà煞
yǒu有
jiè介
shì事
de地
duì对
bié别
rén人
zhǐ指
shǒu手
huà画
jiǎo脚
。
He's just a junior clerk, yet all day long he puts on airs and orders others around as if he were some big shot.