沽名钓誉
gū míng diào yù
to fish for fame and praise by doing things for show
Character by character
沽gū
buy
buy
名míng
fame
fame
钓diào
fish for
fish for
誉yù
praise
praise
Example
有的人捐款是真心帮忙，也有人只是沽名钓誉，捐完就忙着找记者拍照。
Some people give out of a real wish to help; others are only after the credit, and the moment they have given they are rounding up reporters for photos.
Tone: negative (criticism).
Usage and origin
沽 (gū) means “to buy”, as in 沽酒, to buy wine. Said of public figures and donors whose good deeds are for the record; it attacks the motive, not the deed.
Learn this in Lesson 251 · HSK 9+: 《儒林外史》 (The Scholars)
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