heoi1 jyu5 wai1 ji4虛與委蛇虚与委蛇
Definition
To deal with someone courteously but without sincerity; to pretend cordiality and play along while putting someone off.
How it's used
Carries a strong sense of hypocrisy and calculated insincerity, often used to describe professional or social situations where one must maintain a polite facade despite deep-seated dislike or disagreement. It implies a deliberate performance rather than just being shy or reserved. The term is formal and literary in origin, so using it in casual conversation can sound quite sophisticated or even biting.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for simple politeness or social etiquette. It specifically denotes a lack of genuine intent, so using it to describe a truly friendly or respectful interaction would be incorrect and potentially offensive.
Grammar color guide
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).
