哗众取宠

嘩眾取寵

huázhòngqǔchǒng

idiom #23,422

Meanings

1 to play to the gallery
2 grandstanding
3 to sensationalise in order to please the crowd
4 demagogy

Characters

clamour; uproar; tumult

crowd; multitude; many people

to take; to seek; to gain

favour; affection; to pamper

Examples

他的发言不过是哗众取宠，没有实质内容。

Tā de fāyán bùguò shì huázhòng qǔ chǒng, méiyǒu shízhì nèiróng.

His speech was nothing but grandstanding — it had no real substance.

真正的领袖不需要哗众取宠来赢得支持。

Zhēnzhèng de lǐngxiù bù xūyào huázhòng qǔ chǒng lái yíngdé zhīchí.

A true leader does not need to play to the gallery to win support.

Tips

memory

哗 (huá) = clamour/noise, 众 (zhòng) = crowd, 取 (qǔ) = to seek/gain, 宠 (chǒng) = favour/affection. Literally: 'make noise at the crowd to gain their favour' — a perfect picture of a demagogue or attention-seeker performing for applause rather than speaking truth.

Stroke Order

哗 huā

众 zhòng

取 qǔ

宠 chǒng