HKDictionary

口惠而實不至 (hau2 wai6 ji4 sat6 bat1 zi3) — pay lip service; make a promise but not keep it; good words without deeds are rushes and reeds in Cantonese

hauˊ²口waiˍ₆惠jiˎ₄而satˍ₆實batˉ¹不zi˗₃至
简 口惠而实不至
Mandarin Pinyin: kou3 hui4 er2 shi2 bu4 zhi4

Meaning of 口惠而實不至

nounpay lip service; make a promise but not keep it; good words without deeds are rushes and reeds
nouna verbal promise in fact is not kept
nounverbally agreeing/ promising but without taking any actions; Good words without deed are rushes and reeds

Characters in 口惠而實不至

口hau2
edge or blade of a knife
惠wai6
gracious; gentle; fair; kind; benevolent
而ji4
on the condition that; supposing that; if
實sat6
definitely; certainly
不bat1
not; no; un-
至zi3
reach (destination); arrive at

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