gu3 lung6 jyun4 heoi1故弄玄虛故弄玄虚
Jyutpinggu3 lung6 jyun4 heoi1
Yalegu luhng yùhn hēui
Definition
To deliberately mystify or make things look complicated to prevent others from understanding or seeing through them.
colloquialpeoplecommunication
How it's used
This idiom describes someone who intentionally creates an aura of complexity or mystery to hide their lack of substance or to manipulate a situation. It is often used to criticize people who use jargon or vague language to sound more knowledgeable than they actually are. Unlike simply being quiet or reserved, this implies an active, performative effort to confuse others.
Examples
He always speaks in such a mysterious way that I have no idea what he wants after listening.
Stop trying to be mysterious and just tell me the main point, okay?
Related words
Common phrases
always deliberately mystifying
likes to be deliberately mysterious
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for simply being 'mysterious' in a positive or romantic sense, but it carries a strong negative connotation of deception or pretentiousness. It is not used to describe someone who is naturally enigmatic or deep.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
