空头支票

空頭支票

kōngtóuzhīpiào

noun #25,448

Measure Word

一张空头支票 zhāng

Meanings

1 rubber check
2 bounced check
3 empty promise
4 hollow pledge

Characters

head (here: nominal, in name only)

branch, disburse

Examples

他开了一张空头支票，让大家都很失望。

Tā kāi le yīzhāng kōngtóuzhīpiào, ràng dàjiā dōu hěn shīwàng.

He wrote a bounced check, disappointing everyone.

政客们的承诺往往只是空头支票。

Zhèngkè men de chéngnuò wǎngwǎng zhǐshì kōngtóuzhīpiào.

Politicians' promises are often nothing but empty pledges.

别开空头支票，说到就要做到。

Bié kāi kōngtóuzhīpiào, shuō dào jiùyào zuòdào.

Don't make hollow promises — you have to follow through.

Tips

usage

Used both literally (a check without sufficient funds) and figuratively (an unfulfillable promise). The figurative sense is very common in political and everyday contexts.

Stroke Order

空 kōng

头 tóu

支 zhī

票 piào