添油加醋
tiān yóu jiā cù
to embellish a story with made-up details
Character by character
添tiān
add
add
油yóu
oil
oil
加jiā
add
add
醋cù
vinegar
vinegar
Example
本来只是两个人吵了几句，传到后来被人添油加醋，变成了“当街打人”。
It started as two people exchanging a few sharp words; retold and embellished, it ended up as “a beating in the street”.
Tone: negative (criticism).
Usage and origin
The cook’s image of adding seasoning for a stronger taste. Used of gossip, retellings and marketing accounts, often as 添油加醋地描述 or 被人添油加醋. Variant: 加油添醋; similar: 添枝加叶.
Learn this in Lesson 192 · HSK 7–9: 热搜与情况通报 (Trending topics and official statements)
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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