虚张声势

虛張聲勢

xūzhāngshēngshì

idiom #10,217

Meanings

1 to bluff
2 to bluster
3 to make an empty show of strength

Characters

to spread, to open

power, momentum

Examples

别被他吓到了，他只是在虚张声势。

Bié bèi tā xiàdào le, tā zhǐshì zài xūzhāngshēngshì.

Don't be scared by him, he's just bluffing.

敌军虚张声势，其实兵力不多。

Díjūn xūzhāngshēngshì, qíshí bīnglì bù duō.

The enemy was bluffing; they actually didn't have many troops.

Tips

memory

虚 (empty) + 张 (to spread) + 声势 (power/momentum) = to spread empty power. Imagine someone puffing up their chest with nothing behind it.

Stroke Order

虚 xū

张 zhāng

声 shēng

势 shì