言不由衷 (yán bù yóu zhōng) — to speak insincerely; to say something one doesn't truly mean; words that are not from the heart
Definition
A formal chengyu for speaking insincerely — words that don't match what one actually feels. Common in written Chinese to describe polite but hollow remarks, like 客套话.
idiom
to speak insincerelyto say something one doesn't truly meanwords that are not from the heart
Examples
- ，言不由衷。Tā zuǐ shàng shuō zì jǐ méi shì, dàn shuí dōu kàn chū tā yán bù yóu zhōng.He said he was fine, but everyone could tell he was being insincere.
- ，言不由衷。Zài nà zhǒng chǎng hé xià, tā bù dé bù yán bù yóu zhōng dì shuō jǐ jù kè tào huà.In that situation, she had to say a few polite words insincerely.
- 言不由衷。yán bù yóu zhōng De zàn měi bǐ zhí jiē de pī píng gèng ràng rén bù shū fu.Insincere praise is more uncomfortable than direct criticism.
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