名不虚传míng bù xū chuán(idiom) to live up to one's famous name; its reputation is well deserved

1. 1.

   (idiom) to live up to one's famous name; its reputation is well deservedidiom

Figurative meaning

To live up to one's famous name; its reputation is well deserved.

• 名name
• 不(bound form) not; un-
• 虚false
• 传to spread

No attested origin story

名不虚传 usually comes at the end of a comment, after 真是 or 果然, once the speaker has experienced the famous thing.

1. HSK 5

   这家饭馆的菜真好吃，果然名不虚传。

   Zhè jiā fànguǎn de cài zhēn hǎochī, guǒrán míng bù xū chuán.

   The food at this restaurant is really tasty; its reputation is well deserved, just as expected.

2. HSK 4

   这里的风景很美，真是名不虚传。

   Zhèlǐ de fēngjǐng hěn měi, zhēnshi míng bù xū chuán.

   The scenery here is beautiful; it really lives up to its famous name.

3. HSK 1

   他的中文很好，名不虚传。

   Tā de Zhōngwén hěn hǎo, míng bù xū chuán.

   His Chinese is very good; his reputation is well deserved.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   这家饭馆很有名。

   Zhè jiā fànguǎn hěn yǒumíng.

   This restaurant is very famous.

2. 
   Speaker B:

   菜好吃吗？

   Cài hǎochī ma?

   Is the food good?

3. 
   Speaker A:

   你吃一下。

   Nǐ chī yíxià.

   Have a taste.

4. 
   Speaker B:

   真好吃，名不虚传！

   Zhēn hǎochī, míng bù xū chuán!

   It's really tasty. It lives up to its famous name!

1. 1.What does 名不虚传 mean?

   AIts reputation is well deservedBHard to come byCTo persevere unremittingly
2. 2.Which sentence uses 名不虚传 correctly?

   A这里的风景很美，真是名不虚传。B我名不虚传吃饭。C他名不虚传了一本书。
3. 3.Which word fits best? 这家饭馆的菜真好吃，果然____。 (The food here is really tasty; its reputation is well deserved.)

   A名不虚传B来之不易C坚持不懈

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Related idioms

• 不遗余力bù yí yú lìto spare no pains or effort (idiom); to do one's utmostNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
• 坚持不懈jiān chí bù xiè(idiom) to persevere unremittingly; to keep going until the endNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
• 屡见不鲜lǚ jiàn bù xiāna common occurrence (idiom)Not on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
• 不可思议bù kě sī yìinconceivable; unimaginable; unfathomableHSK 7–9
• 不知不觉bù zhī bù jué(idiom) unconsciously; unwittinglyHSK 7–9
• 不知所措bù zhī suǒ cuònot knowing what to doHSK 7–9

Browse every entry in the Chinese idioms dictionary.