# 逢场作戏

féng chǎng zuò xì

Play along for the occasion without deep commitment

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Find an occasion and put on a performance

**Traditional Chinese:** 逢場作戲

**Register:** Standard · expressive

[People & connection](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/relationships)

## When to use it

Describe temporary participation or insincere role playing.

Can imply emotional dishonesty.

## Understanding the expression

The occasion becomes a temporary stage, and the participant performs the role it invites. The expression can mean joining in a harmless joke, but it may also dismiss behavior as lacking genuine feeling or commitment. It is often used in explanations of social or romantic conduct. That claim does not remove consequences for others. Playing along is easiest to accept when everyone understands the temporary nature, rather than believing a performance is a sincere promise.

## Examples

他只是逢场作戏，并不想参赛。

### Traditional Chinese

他只是逢場作戲，並不想參賽。

tā zhǐ shì féng chǎng zuò xì ， bìng bù xiǎng cān sài 。

He was merely playing along and did not intend to compete.

她不接受把感情说成逢场作戏。

### Traditional Chinese

她不接受把感情說成逢場作戲。

tā bù jiē shòu bǎ gǎn qíng shuō chéng féng chǎng zuò xì 。

She would not accept treating the relationship as a casual performance.

聚会玩角色游戏，大家逢场作戏。

### Traditional Chinese

聚會玩角色遊戲，大家逢場作戲。

jù huì wán jué sè yóu xì ， dà jiā féng chǎng zuò xì 。

Everyone played along in the gathering’s role-playing game.

他称赞几句，不过逢场作戏。

### Traditional Chinese

他稱讚幾句，不過逢場作戲。

tā chēng zàn jǐ jù ， bú guò féng chǎng zuò xì 。

His few compliments were only social role playing.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E9%80%A2%E5%A0%B4%E4%BD%9C%E6%88%B2)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=931&webMd=1&la=0)

## Keep exploring

- [负荆请罪 fù jīng qǐng zuì Offer a sincere apology ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/fu-jing-qing-zui)

- [甘拜下风 gān bài xià fēng Willingly concede another's superiority ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/gan-bai-xia-feng)

- [刚愎自用 gāng bì zì yòng Stubbornly trust only one's own judgment ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/gang-bi-zi-yong)

- [高风亮节 gāo fēng liàng jié Admirable integrity and principled conduct ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/gao-feng-liang-jie)

## Keep this one close.

Save useful idioms, read offline, and revisit them with flashcards in Almanac.

[View on the App Store ](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6819590452)

[Previous idiom 分庭抗礼 ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/fen-ting-kang-li) [Next idiom 风尘仆仆 ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/feng-chen-pu-pu)