表面文章

biǎomiàn-wénzhāng
idiom #50,024

Meanings

  1. 1 a surface-only performance
  2. 2 lip service; window dressing
  3. 3 empty formality

Examples

Zhè búguò shì biǎomiàn-wénzhāng, jiějué bùliǎo shíjì wèntí.
This is just window dressing; it doesn't solve the real problem.
Tāmen zhǐ zuò biǎomiàn-wénzhāng, qúnzhòng bìngbù mǎnyì.
They only pay lip service, and the public is not satisfied.
反腐动真格不能表面文章
Fǎnfǔ yào dòng zhēngé, bùnéng gǎo biǎomiàn-wénzhāng.
Anti-corruption must be genuine, not a surface-only show.

Tips

usage
Sharply critical — very common in political commentary and internal workplace complaints. The collocations are fixed: 做表面文章 / 搞表面文章.
memory
Literally 'surface essay' — an essay that only skims the surface without substance. Imagine a beautifully bound book with blank pages.

Stroke Order

biǎo
miàn
wén
zhāng