道貌岸然

dào mào àn rán

to look sanctimonious; to pose as a paragon of virtue

Character by character

道dào
moral

貌mào
looks

岸àn
lofty

然rán
-ly

这位道貌岸然的专家，台上大谈廉洁，台下却收了不少好处。

On the platform this sanctimonious expert held forth on honesty; off it, he had pocketed plenty of kickbacks.

Tone: negative (criticism).

岸然 means stern and solemn. Once neutral, it is now almost always ironic: the person looks upright and is not. ✗他道貌岸然，值得尊敬. Often paired with 满口仁义道德.

Learn this in Lesson 251 · HSK 9+: 《儒林外史》 (The Scholars)

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.