deoi1 cai3堆砌
Jyutpingdeoi1 cai3
Yaledēui chai
Definition
To fabricate a flashy, elaborate appearance that lacks any real substance.
colloquialdescriptionscommunication
How it's used
Focuses on the act of assembling superficial elements to create a false sense of depth or quality. It is frequently used in the context of writing or speech where someone uses overly complex vocabulary to mask a lack of substance. The term carries a negative connotation of artificiality and pretension.
Examples
His essay is written in a very flowery way, it looks profound.
Can you stop piling up fancy words and just get to the point?
Related words
Common phrases
to pile up flowery language
to fabricate text with empty complexity
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply writing well or using rich language. It specifically implies that the effort spent on the exterior appearance is disproportionate to the actual value or truth of the content.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
