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虛與委蛇

简虚与委蛇 · 繁虛與委蛇

Mandarin · pinyin xū yǔ wēi yí

(idiom) to feign civility

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Characters in this entry

虛: Look up this written character
與: Look up this written character
委: wěi · appoint, send, commission
蛇: shé · snake
虚: xū · false
与: yǔ · and; with; to; for; give, grant

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Mandarin tones

1–3–1–2 · xu1 yu3 wei1 yi2

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

虛與委蛇 · find source passages ↗ · 虚与委蛇 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

heoi1 jyu5 wai1 ji4

Cantonese word readings for 虛與委蛇. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(idiomatic) sham politeness and compliance; courtesy without sincerity; false civility

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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