hư trương thanh thế
Definition
- Idiom:
- To bluff; to put on a show of strength; to make a false display of power: The act of ostentatiously displaying one's forces, influence, or capabilities in a loud and grandiose manner, while in reality possessing little substance or insignificant actual power. The core meaning is to create an exaggerated and intimidating appearance to deceive or impress others.
Usage Examples
- Idiom:
- Đối thủ chỉ đang hư trương thanh thế, thực lực của họ rất yếu. (The opponent is merely bluffing; their actual strength is very weak.)
- Không nên sợ hãi trước những kẻ chỉ biết hư trương thanh thế. (One should not be afraid of those who only know how to put on a show of strength.)
- Chiến dịch tuyên truyền đó hoàn toàn là hư trương thanh thế. (That propaganda campaign was entirely a false display of power.)
Advanced Usage
- This idiom is often used in strategic, military, political, or business contexts to describe deceptive tactics aimed at psychological warfare or gaining an advantage without real confrontation.
- It implies a criticism of emptiness and pretense, suggesting the display is a facade meant to hide weakness or a lack of real content.
Variants and Related Words
- Phô trương thanh thế: A very close synonym with the same meaning, also meaning to make a grandiose but empty display of power.
- Làm màu (làm bộ): (Colloquial) To put on airs, to act pretentiously. This is a more general and less formal term for showing off.
Synonyms
- To bluff: To try to deceive someone about your strength or intentions.
- To put on a show (of force): To create a display, especially to intimidate.
- To make a false display: To exhibit something that is not genuine or substantial.
- Saber-rattling: (Idiomatic) The ostentatious display of military power.
Related Idioms
- "Nói toạc móng heo": (Idiom) To speak bluntly and directly, without pretense. This is almost the opposite action of .
- "Treo đầu dê, bán thịt chó": (Idiom) To hang up a goat's head but sell dog meat; to engage in false advertising or fraud. This shares the concept of deception but is more about fraudulent substitution than a display of power.