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HSK 3 Chinese reading practice

叶公好龙

yè gōng hào lóng

Lord Ye Loves Dragons

A man fills his home with pictures of dragons, but a visit from a real dragon reveals what he truly loves.

RECOMMENDEDHSK 3
READ4 min
HANZI164
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文化
CULTURE

Loving the idea, not the reality

叶公好龙 describes someone who loudly claims to love something but fears or rejects the real thing. In the idiom, 好 is pronounced hào and means “to be fond of.”

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阅读理解 · COMPREHENSION

Check your understanding

Answer three questions without looking at the English translation.

01叶公家里哪些东西上有龙？
02真龙听说叶公喜欢龙以后做了什么？
03叶公看见真龙后怎么样了？
0 / 3questions answered
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Chinese idiom guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about 叶公好龙

What does 叶公好龙 mean in English?

叶公好龙 (yè gōng hào lóng) literally means “Lord Ye loves dragons.” It describes claiming to love something but fearing or rejecting the real thing.

When is 叶公好龙 used?

Use 叶公好龙 when a person likes an idealized image but not the reality behind it. For example: He said he loved country life but left after one night without Wi-Fi—叶公好龙.

What is the pinyin for 叶公好龙?

The pinyin pronunciation for 叶公好龙 is “yè gōng hào lóng.”