Chinese–EnglishWith examples

虚张声势

xū zhāng shēng shì · xu zhang sheng shi

Traditional 虛張聲勢

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. (false) bravado
  2. to bluff
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In a conversation

0:23 cartoon

The loud puppy

  1. Dengdeng

    你(nǐ)听(tīng)，那(nà)只(zhī)小狗(xiǎogǒu)叫(jiào)得(de)多(duō)凶(xiōng)啊(a)！

    Listen, how fiercely that puppy is barking!

  2. Liangliang

    别(bié)怕(pà)，它(tā)是(shì)虚张声势(xūzhāngshēngshì)。

    Don't be afraid. It's just bluffing.

  3. Dengdeng

    虚张声势(xūzhāngshēngshì)是(shì)什么(shénme)意思(yìsi)？

    What does 虚张声势 mean?

  4. Liangliang

    就是(jiùshì)样子(yàngzi)很(hěn)凶(xiōng)，其实(qíshí)很(hěn)害怕(hàipà)。

    It means looking fierce when you are actually scared.

  5. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)走过去(zǒuguòqù)，它(tā)就(jiù)跑(pǎo)了(le)！

    I walked over and it ran away!

  6. Liangliang

    灯灯(dēngdēng)，你(nǐ)的(de)腿(tuǐ)在(zài)抖(dǒu)，你(nǐ)也(yě)是(shì)虚张声势(xūzhāngshēngshì)！

    Dengdeng, your legs are shaking. You were bluffing too!

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

他(tā)只(zhǐ)是(shì)在(zài)虚(xū)张(zhāng)声(shēng)势(shì)，其(qí)实(shí)心(xīn)里(li)很(hěn)害(hài)怕(pà)。

He is just bluffing; in fact, he is very scared inside.

02

对(duì)方(fāng)虚(xū)张(zhāng)声(shēng)势(shì)，想(xiǎng)让(ràng)我(wǒ)们(men)先(xiān)让(ràng)步(bù)。

The other side is bluffing, trying to make us give in first.

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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