# 虚张声势

xū zhāng shēng shì

Make an empty show of strength

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Inflate an appearance of power

**Traditional Chinese:** 虛張聲勢

**Register:** Critical · general

[Choices & judgment](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/decisions)

## When to use it

Describe bluffing without matching resources.

A strong warning can be genuine; emptiness needs evidence.

## Understanding the expression

A confident display can make preparation or ability seem greater than it really is. The expression describes that gap between appearance and substance. A participant may claim many completed sketches without having them, or a rival may exaggerate how much practice they have done. The focus is on bluffing rather than ordinary confidence. A speaker should know something about the actual preparation before judging the display empty, because someone can describe genuine strengths enthusiastically as well.

## Examples

他没有证据，只是在虚张声势。

### Traditional Chinese

他沒有證據，只是在虛張聲勢。

tā méi yǒu zhèng jù ， zhǐ shì zài xū zhāng shēng shì 。

He has no evidence and is merely bluffing.

对手夸大准备情况，只是虚张声势。

### Traditional Chinese

對手誇大準備情況，只是虛張聲勢。

duì shǒu kuā dà zhǔn bèi qíng kuàng ， zhǐ shì xū zhāng shēng shì 。

The opponent exaggerated their preparation as an empty bluff.

别被广告吓住，那是虚张声势。

### Traditional Chinese

別被廣告嚇住，那是虛張聲勢。

bié bèi guǎng gào xià zhù ， nà shì xū zhāng shēng shì 。

Do not be intimidated by the advertisement's empty claims.

他们虚张声势地说有很多买家。

### Traditional Chinese

他們虛張聲勢地說有很多買家。

tā men xū zhāng shēng shì dì shuō yǒu hěn duō mǎi jiā 。

They bluffed that many buyers were interested.

## 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=%E8%99%9B%E5%BC%B5%E8%81%B2%E5%8B%A2)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=462&webMd=1&la=0)

## Keep exploring

- [削足适履 xuē zú shì lǚ Distort reality to fit an unsuitable rule or model ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/xue-zu-shi-lv)

- [循规蹈矩 xún guī dǎo jǔ Follow established rules and conventions ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/xun-gui-dao-ju)

- [掩耳盗铃 yǎn ěr dào líng Deceive yourself about an obvious problem ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/yan-er-dao-ling)

- [一筹莫展 yī chóu mò zhǎn Be completely unable to find a solution ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/yi-chou-mo-zhan)

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