📖 Meaning
This idiom refers to deliberately mystifying or pretending to possess supernatural abilities. It describes someone who points at nothing and speaks of nothing real, creating an illusion of profundity where there is none.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Yuan dynasty play 'Peach Blossom Girl' (《桃花女》) by Wang Ye, in its fourth act. The character declares that it is not out of deliberate deception that they perform these clever tricks, but rather to arrange a harmonious marriage. The phrase thus originally described theatrical or ritualistic posturing meant to impress rather than deceive.
💡 Example Usage
他总是指空话空，让人摸不清真实意图。
He is always speaking in empty mystifications, making it impossible to discern his true intentions.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 指空话空
- Pinyin: zhǐ kōng huà kōng
- Literal Translation: point, empty, speak, empty
- Category: Communication
- Characters: 4