📖 Meaning
To pursue fame and reputation through improper or deceitful means. It describes someone who fabricates achievements or manipulates public opinion to win undeserved honor and acclaim. The idiom carries a strongly negative connotation, condemning the dishonesty behind the pursuit of glory.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Book of Han (汉书), in the biography of Zhong Jun (终军). During the Western Han dynasty, an official named Yan had submitted three memorials to the throne without receiving any imperial decree in response. Rather than respecting the emperor's silence, Yan presumptuously fabricated authority and acted as though he possessed imperial backing, deliberately currying favor with the people to build his own reputation. The text warns that such behavior—seeking fame through deception and false authority—would surely be punished by a wise and sagacious ruler.
💡 Example Usage
他故意虚报政绩，干名采誉，借此谋求升迁。
He deliberately falsified his administrative achievements, seeking fame and praise through deceit in order to secure a promotion.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 干名采誉
- Pinyin: gān míng cǎi yù
- Literal Translation: seek, fame, gather, praise
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4