# Chinese compliment

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/chinese-compliment
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A pretense of deference; a veiled or subtle insult.

## Examples

- That was a Chinese compliment, not a real one.
- He praised my work in a way that felt like a Chinese compliment, highlighting my mistakes while pretending to be helpful.
- The critic offered a sharp Chinese compliment, masking his disdain for the author's prose behind a thin veil of polite admiration.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.