CHENGYU
名副其实(míng fù qí shí)meaning, story and origin
- Register:
- neutral, approving
- Source:
- 汉·曹操《与王修书》
MEANING
- Literal
- the name matches the reality
- Figurative meaning
- worthy of the name; in name and in fact
ORIGIN STORY
Cao Cao praised an official: "Your name and your substance match — you surpass others by far." The phrase demands that reputation and reality line up.
NATURAL EQUIVALENT
“true to the name”
EXAMPLES
他是一位名副其实的专家。Tā shì yí wèi míng fù qí shí de zhuānjiā.HSK6
He is an expert in name and in fact — truly worthy of the title.
杭州是名副其实的旅游城市。Hángzhōu shì míng fù qí shí de lǚyóu chéngshì.HSK6
Hangzhou is a tourist city that fully lives up to its name.
COMMON MISTAKE
Watch out: The name and the reality must both exist and agree — not "famous" (有名) or "first-rate".
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
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TRUST & SOURCES
- Reviewed by
- AI-assisted editorial review
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-15
- CC-CEDICT 2026-01-01