故作姿态 gù zuò zī tài to put on an act

Explanation

故意做出某种样子，装模作样，并非真心诚意。

To deliberately act in a certain way; to be pretentious and insincere.

Origin Story

小镇上新开了一家咖啡馆，老板娘小丽为了吸引顾客，特意请来一位钢琴家驻场演奏。每天下午，小丽都会穿着漂亮的衣裙，坐在咖啡馆最显眼的位置，故作姿态地翻阅书籍，偶尔抬头望向窗外，仿佛是一位优雅的艺术家。其实，她对艺术并不了解，只是想营造一种高雅的氛围，吸引更多顾客。许多人慕名而来，都被她优雅的姿态所迷惑，纷纷掏腰包点单。然而，一位老顾客看穿了她的把戏，他总是点一杯最便宜的咖啡，静静地坐在角落里观察着小丽，然后默默地离开。小丽的故作姿态，并没有赢得真正的尊重，而是暴露了她的虚伪。

xiǎo zhèn shàng xīn kāi le yī jiā kāfēi guǎn, lǎobǎn niáng xiǎo lì wèi le xīyǐn gùkè, tèyì qǐng lái yī wèi gāngqín jiā zhù chǎng yǎnzòu。 měi tiān xiàwǔ, xiǎo lì dōu huì chuān zhe piàoliang de qīyī, zuò zài kāfēi guǎn zuì xiǎnyǎn de wèizhi, gù zuò zī tài de fān yuè shūjí, ǒu'ěr tái tóu wàng xiàng chuāngwài, fǎngfú shì yī wèi yōuyǎn de yìshù jiā。 qíshí, tā duì yìshù bìng bù liǎojiě, zhǐ shì xiǎng yíngzào yī zhǒng gāoyǎ de fēnwéi, xīyǐn gèng duō gùkè。 xǔduō rén mù míng ér lái, dōu bèi tā yōuyǎ de zī tài suǒ móhuò, fēnfēn tāoyāobāo diǎn dān。 rán'ér, yī wèi lǎo gùkè kàn chuān le tā de bǎxì, tā zǒng shì diǎn yībēi zuì piányí de kāfēi, jìngjìng de zuò zài jiǎoluò lǐ guāncchá zhe xiǎo lì, ránhòu mòmò de líkāi。 xiǎo lì de gù zuò zī tài, bìng méiyǒu yíngdé zhēnzhèng de zūnjìng, ér shì bàolù le tā de xūwěi。

A new coffee shop opened in a small town, and the owner, Xiao Li, hired a pianist to perform in order to attract customers. Every afternoon, Xiao Li would wear a beautiful dress and sit in the most prominent spot in the coffee shop, pretending to read a book, occasionally looking out the window as if she were an elegant artist. In reality, she didn't know much about art and was just trying to create a sophisticated atmosphere to attract more customers. Many people came, drawn in by her seemingly elegant pose, and ordered drinks and snacks. However, one regular customer saw through her act. He always ordered the cheapest coffee and quietly sat in a corner observing Xiao Li before silently leaving. Xiao Li's pretentiousness didn't earn her true respect but instead exposed her hypocrisy.

Usage

作谓语、宾语；指故意做出某种样子

zuò wèiyǔ, bīnyǔ; zhǐ gùyì zuò chū mǒu zhǒng yàngzi

As a predicate or object; refers to deliberately acting in a certain way

Examples

• 他故作姿态，想要博取大家的关注。

  tā gù zuò zī tài, xiǎng yào bó qǔ dàjiā de guānzhù。

  He put on an act to attract everyone's attention.

• 她故作姿态地挽着他的胳膊，显得十分亲密。

  tā gù zuò zī tài de wǎn zhe tā de gēbo, xiǎn de shífēn qīnmì。

  She pretended intimacy by affectionately holding his arm..

Related Idioms

• 装模作样

• 虚伪

Opposite Idioms

• 真诚

• 坦率