表面文章

tā nà fān huà bù guò shì biǎo miàn wén zhāng

她那番话不过是表面文章。

She was merely paying lip service.

zuò xiē biǎo miàn wén zhāng

做些表面文章

go through the motions

zhè zhǐ shì xiē biǎo miàn wén zhāng ér yǐ

这只是些表面文章而已。

This is just going through the motions.

zhǐ zuò biǎo miàn wén zhāng de rén

只做表面文章的人

superficialist

tā xǐ huan zuò biǎo miàn wén zhāng

她喜欢做表面文章。

She cares only for ostentation.

zhè yī gè jiě jué fāng àn shì wèi le yíng dé dǎng de huì yì de zàn yù ér cāng cù gǎo chū lai de biǎo miàn wén zhāng

这一个解决方案是为了赢得党的会议的赞誉而仓促搞出来的表面文章。

This solution is a fudge rushed in to win cheers at the party conference.

tā rèn wéi zhè xiàng jì huà shì wèi le yíng dé xuǎn piào suǒ zuò de biǎo miàn wén zhāng

他认为这项计划是为了赢得选票所做的表面文章。

He dismissed the plan as a cosmetic exercise to win votes.