kuādàqící: 夸大其词 - To Exaggerate, Overstate, Hyperbole

• Keywords: kuadaqici, 夸大其词, exaggerate in Chinese, overstate facts, Chinese idiom for exaggeration, hyperbole in Chinese, Chinese chengyu, how to say someone is exaggerating, 夸大, 夸张, 吹牛
• Summary: “夸大其词” (kuādàqící) is a four-character Chinese idiom, or chengyu, that means to exaggerate or overstate something. It is used to criticize someone for making claims that are more dramatic, impressive, or extreme than the reality. Learning this term is essential for understanding how Chinese speakers discuss misinformation, boastful language, and sensationalism in news, advertising, and daily conversation.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): kuādàqící
• Part of Speech: Chengyu (Idiom); can function as a verb.
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To exaggerate one's words; to make a mountain out of a molehill.
• In a Nutshell: `夸大其词` is a formal and critical way of saying someone is “blowing things out of proportion.” It literally translates to “exaggerate its words.” You use it when you believe someone is intentionally making something sound much bigger, better, or worse than it actually is, often to mislead or impress others. It carries a distinctly negative connotation of being untruthful or unreliable.

• 夸 (kuā): To boast, to praise, or to exaggerate. In this context, it firmly means “to exaggerate.”
• 大 (dà): Big, great, large. Here it functions as an adverb, modifying the verb `夸` to mean “to exaggerate greatly.”
• 其 (qí): A classical Chinese possessive pronoun meaning “his,” “her,” “its,” or “their.” Here it refers to the words or speech of the person doing the exaggerating.
• 词 (cí): Word, phrase, speech.

When combined, `夸-大-其-词` literally means “to greatly exaggerate one's words.” The structure paints a vivid picture of someone making their language bigger than the truth it's supposed to represent.

In Chinese culture, there is often a high value placed on humility (`谦虚 - qiānxū`) and seeking truth from facts (`实事求是 - shíshìqiúshì`). Speech that is boastful or deviates significantly from reality can be seen not just as inaccurate, but as a moral failing—a lack of sincerity or an attempt to deceive. Therefore, accusing someone of `夸大其词` is a serious critique of their credibility. This contrasts with some Western contexts where hyperbole is a common and often humorous rhetorical device. Saying “I've told you a million times” in English is understood as a simple, non-deceptive exaggeration for emphasis. While Chinese has its own forms of non-literal speech, `夸大其词` is specifically used to call out exaggeration that has crossed the line into being misleading or dishonest. It's less about creative language and more about a judgment of the speaker's intent and the factual basis of their claims.

`夸大其词` is a versatile idiom used in both formal and informal contexts, though it always carries a serious, critical tone.

• In Media and Politics: It's frequently used in news commentary to criticize journalists, media outlets, or politicians who sensationalize stories or make promises they can't keep. For example, describing a news headline as `夸大其词`.
• In Business and Advertising: A common way to describe misleading advertisements that overstate a product's benefits. “This ad is full of exaggeration.”
• In Daily Conversation: You might use it to call out a friend who is telling a “tall tale” or constantly embellishing their personal stories to make themselves look better. It's a stronger and more formal accusation than the colloquial `吹牛 (chuīniú)`, which means “to brag.”

The connotation is almost always negative. You are accusing someone of being untrustworthy. You would not use it to describe yourself unless you were being self-critical in a formal setting.

• Example 1:
  • 这篇新闻报道有些夸大其词，事实并非如此严重。
  • Pinyin: Zhè piān xīnwén bàodào yǒuxiē kuādàqící, shìshí bìngfēi rúcǐ yánzhòng.
  • English: This news report is a bit of an exaggeration; the facts are not that serious.
  • Analysis: A common usage for critiquing media. The phrase `有些 (yǒuxiē)` softens the criticism slightly, meaning “a bit” or “somewhat.”
• Example 2:
  • 他的简历里有很多夸大其词的地方，我们不能雇佣他。
  • Pinyin: Tā de jiǎnlì lǐ yǒu hěnduō kuādàqící de dìfang, wǒmen bùnéng gùyōng tā.
  • English: There are many exaggerations in his resume, so we can't hire him.
  • Analysis: Here, `夸大其词` acts as an adjective modifying `地方` (parts/places), describing the nature of the content in his resume.
• Example 3:
  • 广告总是夸大其词，说他们的产品能解决所有问题。
  • Pinyin: Guǎnggào zǒngshì kuādàqící, shuō tāmen de chǎnpǐn néng jiějué suǒyǒu wèntí.
  • English: Advertisements always exaggerate, saying their products can solve all problems.
  • Analysis: This is a general statement about the nature of advertising. The idiom functions as the main verb of the first clause.
• Example 4:
  • 我认为他只是在夸大其词，想引起大家的注意。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ rènwéi tā zhǐshì zài kuādàqící, xiǎng yǐnqǐ dàjiā de zhùyì.
  • English: I think he is just exaggerating to get everyone's attention.
  • Analysis: This sentence analyzes the motivation behind the exaggeration. The structure `在 + verb` indicates the action is in progress.
• Example 5:
  • 你别听他夸大其词，那件事我从头到尾都在场。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bié tīng tā kuādàqící, nà jiàn shì wǒ cóngtóudàowěi dōu zàichǎng.
  • English: Don't listen to his exaggerations; I was there for that incident from beginning to end.
  • Analysis: A direct piece of advice to someone, using `别听他…` (don't listen to him…).
• Example 6:
  • 政客们为了赢得选票，常常夸大其词地承诺未来。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngkèmen wèile yíngdé xuǎnpiào, chángcháng kuādàqící de chéngnuò wèilái.
  • English: In order to win votes, politicians often make exaggerated promises about the future.
  • Analysis: The particle `地 (de)` turns the idiom into an adverb, describing how the politicians make promises.
• Example 7:
  • 这部电影的宣传片有点夸大其词，电影本身没那么精彩。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng de xuānchuánpiàn yǒudiǎn kuādàqící, diànyǐng běnshēn méi nàme jīngcǎi.
  • English: The trailer for this movie was a bit of an exaggeration; the movie itself wasn't that amazing.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of its use in modern life, talking about media and entertainment.
• Example 8:
  • 他的演讲充满了夸大其词的说法，缺乏事实根据。
  • Pinyin: Tā de yǎnjiǎng chōngmǎnle kuādàqící de shuōfǎ, quēfá shìshí gēnjù.
  • English: His speech was full of exaggerated claims and lacked a factual basis.
  • Analysis: Shows the idiom used adjectivally with `的 (de)` to describe `说法` (claims/statements).
• Example 9:
  • 与其夸大其词，不如实事求是地分析问题。
  • Pinyin: Yǔqí kuādàqící, bùrú shíshìqiúshì de fēnxī wèntí.
  • English: Rather than exaggerating, it's better to analyze the problem realistically.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly contrasts `夸大其词` with its antonym, `实事求是` (to seek truth from facts). The `与其…不如…` structure means “rather than A, it's better to do B.”
• Example 10:
  • 他总是夸大其词，把一件小事说得天花乱坠。
  • Pinyin: Tā zǒngshì kuādàqící, bǎ yī jiàn xiǎoshì shuō de tiānhuāluànzhuì.
  • English: He always exaggerates, describing a small matter in extravagant and glowing terms.
  • Analysis: This example pairs `夸大其词` with another idiom, `天花乱坠 (tiānhuāluànzhuì)`, which means “to give an extravagant account.” This shows how idioms can be combined for powerful effect.

• `夸大其词` vs. `夸张 (kuāzhāng)`: This is the most common point of confusion.
  • `夸大其词` is a formal idiom with a strong negative connotation of being deliberately misleading. It's an accusation.
  • `夸张 (kuāzhāng)` is a more general, common word for “to exaggerate” or “exaggerated.” It can be neutral or even positive. A funny story can be `很夸张`, and a dress can have `夸张的设计` (an exaggerated/bold design).
  • Rule of thumb: If you are criticizing someone's lack of truthfulness, use `夸大其词`. If you are just describing something as “over-the-top” or “a bit of an exaggeration,” use `夸张`.
• Common Mistake: Using it to describe yourself in a casual way. An English speaker might say, “I'm probably exaggerating, but…” You would not say `我可能在夸大其词…` in this context. It sounds overly formal and self-critical. Instead, a native speaker would more likely say:
  • `我说得可能有点夸张。` (Wǒ shuō de kěnéng yǒudiǎn kuāzhāng.) - “What I'm saying might be a bit exaggerated.”
• Grammatical Function: Remember that `夸大其词` is a complete verb phrase. It can be a sentence's main predicate (e.g., `他夸大其词了`), or it can be used with `的` to function as an adjective (e.g., `夸大其词的报告`).

• 夸张 (kuāzhāng) - The general, often neutral, word for “to exaggerate” or “hyperbole.” The less formal cousin of `夸大其词`.
• 吹牛 (chuīniú) - A very colloquial term for “to brag” or “boast.” Literally “to blow up a cow.” Much more informal and less about misleading facts and more about self-aggrandizement.
• 言过其实 (yánguòqíshí) - A very similar, formal chengyu meaning “one's words go beyond the reality.” It's almost a perfect synonym for `夸大其词`.
• 添油加醋 (tiānyóujiācù) - “To add oil and vinegar.” This idiom means to embellish a story, adding juicy but often untrue details to make it more interesting.
• 浮夸 (fúkuā) - An adjective meaning “pompous,” “bombastic,” or “inflated.” It often describes a style (e.g., a style of writing or acting) rather than a specific statement.
• 画蛇添足 (huàshétiānzú) - “To draw a snake and add feet.” It means to ruin something by adding something superfluous; to overdo it.
• 实事求是 (shíshìqiúshì) - An important chengyu that serves as the antonym. It means “to seek truth from facts” and embodies the values of being practical, objective, and realistic.
• 谦虚 (qiānxū) - Modest; humility. The cultural value that stands in opposition to the behavior of `夸大其词`.