漂亮话

漂亮話
piàolianghuà
noun #31,677

Meanings

  1. 1 fine-sounding empty words
  2. 2 lip service
  3. 3 talk that won't be backed up

Examples

HSK 2
Bié zài shuō piàolianghuà le, náchū xíngdòng lái!
Stop with the empty pretty words - show some action!
HSK 7-9
Tā zhǐ huì shuō piàolianghuà, bùkěn zuò shíshì.
He only knows how to talk a good game; he refuses to do the real work.

Tips

register
Strongly negative - 漂亮 ('pretty/handsome') is sarcastic here: words that sound nice but have no substance. Compare English 'lip service' or 'talk the talk'. The phrase usually appears with 'say' or , often with 只会/只知道 ('only knows how to').

Stroke Order

piāo
liàng
huà