美其名曰
calling it by the fine-sounding name of; under the grand name of (ironic)
Structure
做法（作者不认可） ， 美其名曰 “好听的名称”
What it means
Ironic: brings in the fine-sounding label someone puts on a dubious practice. The writer does not believe the label. Read it měi qí míng yuē.
How it is built
Clause saying what really happens + (还／却) + 美其名曰 + “label”: 公司让员工无偿加班，还美其名曰“奋斗精神” (unpaid overtime, grandly called “the spirit of striving”).
When to use it
Critical and sarcastic; the label usually goes in quotation marks. Written in origin but common in sarcastic speech. For a sincere or neutral name use 称为 or 叫做.
Watch out
Never for an honest name. ✗ 这种花美其名曰牡丹。 ✓ 这种花叫做牡丹。 美其名曰 always mocks the name it introduces.
Examples
当时也有人为山寨辩护，美其名曰“草根创新”。
At the time some defended shanzhai, giving it the fine name of “grass-roots innovation”.
公司让员工周末无偿加班，还美其名曰“奋斗精神”。
The company has its staff work weekends unpaid and calls it, grandly, “the spirit of striving”.
有的歌手照搬别人的旋律，却美其名曰“致敬”。
Some singers copy other people’s tunes wholesale and dignify it with the name of “homage”.
Learn this in Lesson 186 · HSK 7–9: 从山寨到原创 (From knock-offs to originals)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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