唱空城計 chàng kōng chéng jì

fig. to put up a bluff to conceal one's weakness

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. fig. to put up a bluff to conceal one's weakness
  2. 2. (jocularly) (of a place etc) to be empty
  3. 3. lit. to sing “The Empty City Stratagem” (idiom)
  4. 4. (of one's stomach) to be rumbling

Characters

Character Meaning
唱 chàng HSK 2
to sing; to call loudly; to chant
空 kōng HSK 3
empty; sky; air
城 chéng HSK 3
city; city walls; town
計 jì
to calculate; to count; to plan