exist in name only; nominal; titular
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to exist in name only; to function nominally
formalCommonly used to describe organizations, positions, or institutions that maintain a formal structure but lack actual authority or function. Often appears in the idiom '形同虚设'.
Zhè这
gè个
wěi委
yuán员
huì会
yǐ已
jīng经
xū虚
shè设
duō多
nián年
le了
。
This committee has existed in name only for many years.
xíng形
tóng同
xū虚
shè设
to exist in name only; to be virtually useless
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Nà那
gè个
zhí职
wèi位
wán完
quán全
shì是
xū虚
shè设
de的
，
méi没
yǒu有
rèn任
hé何
shí实
quán权
。
That position is completely nominal, without any real power.
Yóu由
yú于
quē缺
fá乏
zī资
jīn金
，
zhè这
gè个
bù部
mén门
yǐ已
jīng经
míng名
cún存
shí实
wáng亡
，
xū虚
shè设
zài在
nà那
lǐ里
。
Due to lack of funding, this department exists in name only, merely a shell.