Definition
套话 (noun) refers to conventional, formulaic expressions used in polite conversation, official discourse, or social routines — essentially platitudes or clichés that carry little substantive meaning. In colloquial usage, the same characters can function as a verb meaning 'to pry information out of someone' (e.g., 套他的话), but this noun entry covers only the noun sense.
n.
formulaic talkpolite conventional expressionsplatitudes
Examples
- ,套话。Zài zhèngshì chǎnghé, shuō xiē tào huà kěyǐ bìmiǎn gāngà.In formal occasions, saying some polite conventional phrases can avoid awkwardness.
- 套话,。Tā de yǎnjiǎng chōngmǎn le tào huà, méiyǒu rènhé shízhì nèiróng.His speech was full of platitudes, without any substantive content.
- 套话。Bùyào yòng nàxiē lǎo tào huà lái fūyǎn wǒ.Don't fob me off with those old clichés.
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