Definition
过家家 is a fixed expression referring to the children's game 'playing house', where kids pretend to run a household and act out family roles. It is also used figuratively to criticize an activity or process as being childish, unserious, or pointless — like saying someone is 'just playing house' in a real-world situation. The structure is verb-object: 过 + 家家.
v
to play house (children's game)(figurative) to engage in trivial or pointless activitiesto treat something unseriously
Examples
- 过家家。Xiǎo shíhou wǒmen jīngcháng zài yuànzi lǐ guō.When we were little, we often played house in the yard.
- ，过家家。Tāmen kāihuì wánquán bù rènzhēn, jiǎnzhí shì zài guō.They’re not serious at all in the meeting; it’s like they’re just playing house.
- 过家家，。guō suīrán yǒuqù, dàn kě bù néng dàngzhēn.Playing house may be fun, but you can’t take it seriously.
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