Definition
表面文章 is a derogatory four-character idiom that literally means 'surface writing' but refers to work or behavior that focuses only on outward appearance or formalities without any real substance—what in English is called 'lip service,' 'tokenism,' or 'window dressing.' It is commonly used to criticize bureaucracy, empty promises, or people who care more about how things look than about actual results. You can use it with the verb 做: 做表面文章 ('to engage in superficial show').
n.
(figurative) mere showsuperficial worklip servicetokenism
Examples
- 表面文章，。Tā zhǐ huì zuò biǎo miàn wén zhāng, cónglái bù jiějué shíjì wèntí.He only knows how to do superficial work and never solves real problems.
- 表面文章，。Zhège bàogào quán shì biǎo miàn wén zhāng, méi yǒu yìdiǎn yǒuyòng de shùjù.This report is all lip service—it doesn't contain any useful data.
- 表面文章。Gōngsī hěn tǎoyàn biǎo miàn wén zhāng shì de xíngshì zhǔyì.The company really dislikes formalism of the 'superficial show' kind.
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