(zēng) - To exaggerate & to praise excessively

Tone 1

zēng | 19 strokes | radical:

· zēng

To exaggerate;

to praise excessively;

to flatter;

to boast.

To exaggerateto praise excessivelyto flatter

Usage highlights

to exaggerateflatteryexcessive praiseto boast and bragto flatter excessivelyempty praise

Synonyms

  • to boast, to exaggerate
  • to flatter, to fawn
  • to praise, reputation (in a positive sense)

Antonyms

  • to belittle, to disparage
  • to slander, to defame
  • to ridicule, to satirize

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He tends to exaggerate the facts (譄張).
  • The speech was full of flattery (諂譄).
  • She received excessive praise for her minor role (過譄).

Collocations

  • to exaggerate(譄張)
  • flattery(諂譄)
  • excessive praise(過譄)
  • to boast and brag(誇譄)
  • to flatter excessively(阿譄)
  • empty praise(虛譄)

Idioms

  • Exaggeration and fabrication(譄張為幻)
  • Flattering and fawning(諂譄取容)
  • To praise to the skies(譄譽過實)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • This character is associated with rhetoric and the potential misuse of language for persuasion or social gain.
  • In classical texts, it often carries a negative connotation of insincerity or distortion of truth.
  • It reflects cultural values that prize sincerity and modesty in speech.

FAQ