虚张声势

Pronunciation: xū zhāng shēng shì Literal meaning: Empty show of strength

Origin & Usage

To make an empty (虚) display (张) of sound (声) and force (势). The military technique behind it is concrete — extra banners, drums beaten by too few men, dust raised by branches dragged behind horses — and all of it is aimed at an observer who cannot come close enough to count. That is the condition the phrase carries with it. It works only at a distance and only briefly, and you will hear it of anyone whose apparent strength has not yet been tested.

Examples

English: "The small company made grandiose claims about capabilities it couldn't possibly deliver"

Chinese: 这家小公司对它不可能实现的能力做出了宏大的声明