空洞无物 Kōng dòng wú wù empty and without substance

Explanation

指内容空虚，缺乏实质意义。多用于评论文章、讲话等。

Refers to something as empty and lacking substance, often used to describe articles or speeches.

Origin Story

东晋名士周伯仁，以其风趣幽默，为人宽宏而闻名。丞相王导与其交好，一日指着周伯仁的肚子问道："你腹中究竟有何物？"周伯仁答道："空洞无物，然可容卿辈数百人。"此语一出，众人皆笑。看似戏谑，实则道出周伯仁虽不显山露水，但胸襟广阔，能容人之处。他虽不以学识见长，但他的人格魅力却足以影响他人。他腹中空洞无物，却能容纳数百人，正是他胸怀坦荡的体现。这与那些空有虚名，却内里空洞的人形成了鲜明的对比。

Dōng Jìn míngshì Zhōu Bórén, yǐ qí fēngqù yōumò, wéirén kuānhóng ér wénmíng. Chéngxiàng Wáng Dǎo yǔ qí jiāohǎo, yī rì zhǐzhe Zhōu Bórén de dùzi wèndào:"Nǐ fù zhōng jiūjìng yǒu hé wù?" Zhōu Bórén dá dào:"Kōng dòng wú wù, rán kě róng qīng bèi shù bǎi rén." Cǐ yǔ yī chū, zhòngrén jiē xiào. Kànsì xìxuè, shízé dàochū Zhōu Bórén suī bù xiǎnshān lùshuǐ, dàn xióngjīn guǎngkuò, néng róng rén zhī chù. Tā suī bù yǐ xuéshí jiàncháng, dàn tā de réngé mèilì què zúyǐ yǐngxiǎng tārén. Tā fù zhōng kōng dòng wú wù, què néng róngnà shù bǎi rén, zhèngshì tā xiónghuái tǎndàng de tǐxiàn. Zhè yǔ nàxiē kōng yǒu xūmíng, què nèilǐ kōng dòng de rén xíngchéng le xiānmíng de duìbǐ.

Zhou Berin, a famous scholar of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, was known for his humor and generosity. Once, Premier Wang Dao, a friend of Zhou's, pointed at Zhou's belly and asked, "What is in your belly?" Zhou replied, "Nothing but emptiness, yet it can hold hundreds like you." This seemingly joking remark highlighted Zhou's broad-mindedness and ability to tolerate others. Although he wasn't known for his knowledge, his personality was influential. His emptiness could hold hundreds, a sign of his generous spirit, contrasting with those who have empty names but are empty inside.

Usage

多用于形容文章、讲话、思想等缺乏内容，空洞乏味。

duō yòng yú xíngróng wénzhāng, jiǎnghuà, sīxiǎng děng quēfá nèiróng, kōng dòng fáwèi

Often used to describe articles, speeches, thoughts, etc., that lack content and are empty and tasteless.

Examples

• 他的演讲空洞无物，令人失望。

  tade yǎnjiǎng kōng dòng wú wù, lìng rén shīwàng.

  His speech was empty and disappointing.

• 这篇论文空洞无物，缺乏实际内容。

  zhè piān lùnwén kōng dòng wú wù, quēfá shíjì nèiróng

  This paper is empty and lacks practical content.

Related Idioms

• 空空如也

• 虚无缥缈

• 徒有其表

Opposite Idioms

• 名副其实

• 言之有物

• 内容丰富