华而不实

Origin and story

In the Zuo Commentary for Duke Wen's fifth year, Ning Ying initially follows the Jin official Yang Chufu but turns back before the journey is over. His wife asks why. He explains that Yang is excessively rigid, impressive in expression but lacking substance, and likely to gather resentment. Ning fears that following him will bring danger before any benefit.

The phrase literally contrasts flowering with bearing fruit: a plant may produce a fine display yet yield nothing useful. The passage uses that image to assess a person's conduct and speech. Later the idiom broadened to showy writing, impressive-looking products, or plans whose appearance exceeds their practical value.