Definition
花里胡哨 is a four-character idiom that describes something that looks overly flashy, gaudy, or colorful but lacks real depth, quality, or substance — the visual appeal is surface-level. It carries a distinctly negative or dismissive tone. You use it to criticize decoration, clothing, design, or even overly fancy writing or speech that seems showy without being meaningful. The literal image is 'flowery and noisy,' which hints at the superficial flamboyance.
z
gaudyflashyexcessively ornate (with a negative connotation of bad taste)flashy but insubstantialall style and no substance
Examples
- 花里胡哨，。Zhè jiàn yīfu shèjì de tài huā lǐ hú shào le, chuān chūqù hěn súqì.This piece of clothing is designed too gaudily — it looks tacky to wear out.
- 花里胡哨，。Tā de yǎnjiǎng suīrán huā lǐ hú shào, dàn méiyǒu rènhé shíjì nèiróng.His speech was flashy but had no real substance.
- 花里胡哨，。Bié bǎ wǎngyè zuò de huā lǐ hú shào de, yònghù xūyào de shì jiǎnjié qīngxī.Don't make the webpage too gaudy — users need simplicity and clarity.
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