📖 Meaning
It refers to using improper or deceptive means to fish for reputation and accolades one has not genuinely earned. It is a variant of the more common idiom 沽名钓誉. The expression conveys contempt for those who chase fame through showmanship rather than real merit.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Zhuzi Yulei (Records of Master Zhu), a Song-dynasty compilation of the sayings of the Neo-Confucian philosopher Zhu Xi (1130–1200). In volume 42, while commenting on a passage in the Analects where the disciple Zizhang asks about the difference between 'being heard' (闻) and 'truly attaining' (达), Zhu Xi explains that '达' is attained through earnest personal practice and conduct, whereas '闻' is nothing more than fishing for fame and seeking praise. The phrase thus distinguishes genuine achievement from hollow self-promotion.
💡 Example Usage
他做公益只是为了沽名要誉，并非真心想帮助别人。
He engages in charity merely to fish for fame and seek praise, not out of any genuine desire to help others.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 沽名要誉
- Pinyin: gū míng yào yù
- Literal Translation: fish for fame, seek praise
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4