Chinese idiom · 成语
文过饰非
Meaning
To gloss over wrongs; to cover up faults.
Character by character
Origin and story
combined classical expressionThe expression combines two classical descriptions of covering up wrongdoing. In the Zizhang chapter of the Analects, Zixia says that a petty person's mistakes are inevitably dressed up. In Zhuangzi's Robber Zhi chapter, Liu Xiaji warns Confucius that his brother is not only physically formidable but eloquent enough to disguise his wrongs. That second passage belongs to a literary-philosophical dialogue, not a verified conversation with a robber. Together the two images describe using attractive words or clever explanations to make faults appear acceptable. The point is concealment instead of correction; an honest explanation of a mistake is not automatically such a cover-up.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
这份道歉声明只顾文过饰非，却没有说明怎样补救。
This apology only dresses up the wrongdoing and never explains how it will be put right.
Criticizes excuses or polished language used to conceal mistakes.