How do you pronounce 叶公好龙?

叶公好龙 is pronounced as "yè gōng hào lóng" in Mandarin Chinese.

叶公好龙

Q: What does 叶公好龙 mean?

叶公好龙 (yè gōng hào lóng) literally means "Lord Ye loves dragons" and metaphorically means "Professed love hiding actual fear". It belongs to the Relationships & Character category of Chinese idioms.

Q: When is 叶公好龙 used?

叶公好龙 is used when The executive claimed to value innovation but rejected every new idea presented.

叶公好龙 (yè gōng hào lóng) literally means “lord ye loves dragons” and expresses “professed love hiding actual fear”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character.

Also searched as: ye gong hao long, ye gong hao long,叶公好龙 meaning, 叶公好龙 in english

Professed love hiding actual fear

Pronunciation: yè gōng hào lóng Literal meaning: Lord Ye loves dragons

Origin & Usage

This ironic tale tells of Lord Ye (叶公) who professed to love (好) dragons (龙) but fled in terror when faced with a real one. During the Six Dynasties period, it became a standard criticism of superficial appreciation without genuine understanding. The dragon imagery carried particular weight in Chinese culture, where these creatures represented divine power and blessing. Modern usage describes the gap between theoretical support and practical commitment - from executives who praise innovation but reject new ideas, to reformers who retreat when facing real change.

Examples

English: "The executive claimed to value innovation but rejected every new idea presented"

Chinese: 这位高管声称重视创新，但拒绝了提出的每一个新想法

Related Chinese Idioms

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一模一样

yī mú yī yàng

Exactly identical

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以心换心

yǐ xīn huàn xīn

Treat others as yourself

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海纳百川

hǎi nà bǎi chuān

Accept all with open mind

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以和为贵

yǐ hé wéi guì

Value harmony above all

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同舟共济

tóng zhōu gòng jì

Face challenges together

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风雨同舟

fēng yǔ tóng zhōu

Share hardships together

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春风化雨

chūn fēng huà yǔ

Gentle, nurturing influence

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does 叶公好龙 mean in English?

叶公好龙 (yè gōng hào lóng) literally translates to “Lord Ye loves dragons” and is used to express “Professed love hiding actual fear”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.