装腔作势 zhuāng qiāng zuò shì to act the part; to put on airs

Explanation

指故意做作，装模作样，以炫耀自己或吓唬人的行为。

Refers to deliberately affected behavior, showing off, and exaggerated displays to show oneself off or to intimidate others.

Origin Story

从前，有一个自以为是的年轻人，名叫阿强。他总是喜欢在人前装腔作势，以此来显示自己的优越感。一次，村里举行祭祀活动，阿强为了在乡亲们面前出风头，特地穿上了他父亲珍藏多年的丝绸长袍，戴上了一顶华丽的帽子。他昂首挺胸，迈着四方步，走到人群中央，故作深沉地咳嗽了几声，然后大声朗诵起一些他根本不懂的古代诗词。乡亲们看着阿强那副装腔作势的样子，都暗自发笑。有些识字的人，更是偷偷地指指点点，窃窃私语。阿强虽然没有发现大家在嘲笑他，但他那虚张声势的表演，最终并没有赢得任何人的尊重。后来，阿强慢慢明白，真正的优秀，不在于外表的华丽，而在于内在的修养。从此以后，阿强不再装腔作势，而是踏踏实实地做人做事，赢得了大家的认可。

cóng qián, yǒu yīgè zì yǐwéi shì de nián qīng rén, míng jiào ā qiáng。tā zǒng shì xǐhuan zài rén qián zhuāng qiāng zuò shì, yǐ cǐ lái xiǎnshì zìjǐ de yōuyōu gǎn。yī cì, cūn lǐ jǔxíng jì sì huódòng, ā qiáng wèile zài xiāng qīn men miàn qián chū fēngtóu, tè dì chuān shàng le tā fù qīn zhēncáng duō nián de sīchóu cháng páo, dài shang le yī dǐng huá lì de màozi。tā áng shǒu tǐng xiōng, màie zhùo sìfāng bù, zǒu dào rén qún zhōng yāng, gù zuò shēn chén de késou le jǐ shēng, ránhòu dà shēng lǎng sòng qǐ yīxiē tā gēnběn bù dǒng de gǔdài shīcí。xiāng qīn men kànzhe ā qiáng nà fù zhuāng qiāng zuò shì de yàngzi, dōu àn zì fā xiào。yǒuxiē shí zì de rén, gèng shì tōutōu de zhǐ zhǐ diǎn diǎn, qièqiè sīyǔ。ā qiáng suīrán méiyǒu fāxiàn dàjiā zài cháoxiào tā, dàn tā nà xū zhāng shēng shì de biǎoyǎn, zuìzhōng bìng méiyǒu yíngdé rènhé rén de zūnjìng。hòulái, ā qiáng màn man míngbai, zhēnzhèng de yōuxiù, bù zài yú wàibiǎo de huá lì, ér zài yú nèizài de xiūyǎng。cóng cǐ yǐhòu, ā qiáng bù zài zhuāng qiāng zuò shì, ér shì tà tàshíshí de zuò rén zuòshì, yíngdé le dàjiā de rènkě。

Once upon a time, there was a self-important young man named Aqiang. He always liked to show off in front of others to show his superiority. Once, the village held a sacrificial activity. In order to show off in front of the villagers, Aqiang specially put on his father's treasured silk robe and put on a gorgeous hat. He walked to the center of the crowd with his head held high and his chest out, and made a show of himself by coughing a few times before loudly reciting some ancient poems he didn't understand. The villagers secretly laughed at Aqiang's pretentious appearance. Some literate people even whispered and pointed at him secretly. Although Aqiang didn't realize that everyone was laughing at him, his pretentious performance didn't win anyone's respect. Later, Aqiang gradually understood that true excellence does not lie in outward splendor, but in inner cultivation. From then on, Aqiang stopped showing off and instead worked honestly, earning everyone's recognition.

Usage

作谓语、宾语、状语；形容故意做作，装模作样。

zuò wèiyǔ, bǐnyǔ, zhuàngyǔ；xiāngróng gùyì zuòzuò，zhuāngmó zuòyàng。

Used as predicate, object, and adverbial; describes deliberately affected and pretentious behavior.

Examples

• 他总是装腔作势，让人觉得很虚伪。

  tā zǒng shì zhuāng qiāng zuò shì, ràng rén jué de hěn xūwěi。

  He always acts so pretentious, making him look hypocritical.

• 不要装腔作势，做你自己就好。

  bùyào zhuāng qiāng zuò shì, zuò nǐ zìjǐ jiù hǎo。

  Don't try to act all important; be yourself.

• 他那装腔作势的样子，真是令人作呕。

  tā nà zhuāng qiāng zuò shì de yàngzi, zhēnshi lìng rén zuò'ǒu。

  His pretentious behavior was nauseating

Related Idioms

• 虚张声势

• 装模作样

• 故作姿态

Opposite Idioms

• 自然大方

• 落落大方

• 泰然自若