xuànyào: 炫耀 - To Show Off, to Flaunt

• Keywords: xuanyao, xuan yao, 炫耀, Chinese for show off, Chinese for flaunt, brag in Chinese, boasting, flexing, ostentatious, flaunting wealth, 炫富, Chinese culture and modesty.
• Summary: Learn the Chinese verb 炫耀 (xuànyào), which means “to show off” or “to flaunt.” This page breaks down its meaning, cultural significance, and modern usage. Discover why this term often carries a negative connotation in Chinese culture, which values modesty, and learn how to use it correctly in conversation without causing offense. This is your guide to understanding the art of “flexing” in Chinese and why it's usually better to be low-key.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xuànyào
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To make an ostentatious display of one's abilities, possessions, or achievements in order to attract admiration or envy.
• In a Nutshell: `炫耀` is the act of deliberately showing something off to make others feel impressed or jealous. It's not just sharing good news; it's performing your success for an audience. Think of someone loudly talking about their new luxury car or expensive watch—that's a classic case of `炫耀`. The feeling behind it is vanity, and it's almost always seen as a negative, immature, or insecure behavior.

• 炫 (xuàn): This character means “to shine,” “dazzling,” or “to show off.” The left side is the fire radical (火), suggesting a bright, attention-grabbing light or brilliance.
• 耀 (yào): This character also means “to shine,” “glorious,” or “brilliant.” It's composed of 光 (guāng - light) on top and 羽 (yǔ - feather/wing) on the bottom, evoking the image of something gloriously shining, like the bright plumage of a bird.
• Together: Combining two characters that both mean “to shine” or “dazzle” creates a powerful image. `炫耀 (xuànyào)` literally means “to shine and dazzle,” painting a picture of someone who is actively and brilliantly putting a spotlight on themselves or their possessions.

In traditional Chinese culture, modesty (谦虚 - qiānxū) is a paramount virtue. Drawing excessive attention to oneself is often seen as a sign of arrogance and a disregard for group harmony. `炫耀` is the direct opposite of this cultural ideal.

• Comparison to “Flexing”: In Western culture, especially American culture, “flexing” or showing off can sometimes be viewed with a degree of irony, humor, or even as a form of self-expression and confidence. While bragging is still frowned upon, the line can be blurry. In China, `炫耀` has a much stronger and more consistently negative connotation. It is rarely seen as playful or ironic and is more directly interpreted as a sign of poor character or new money insecurity (`暴发户 - bàofāhù`).
• “Face” (面子 - miànzi): The concept of `炫耀` is deeply tied to “face.” Someone might `炫耀` to gain face (i.e., increase their social standing). However, in doing so, they risk making others lose face by highlighting a disparity in wealth or status. This can damage relationships (`关系 - guānxi`) and is considered socially disruptive. Therefore, the culturally preferred approach is to be low-key (低调 - dīdiào), especially about one's own success.

`炫耀` is a very common word, especially when criticizing behavior seen on social media or in public.

• Showing Off Wealth (炫富 - xuànfù): This is the most common context. `炫富 (xuànfù)` is a compound word using `炫` that specifically means “to flaunt wealth.” It's frequently used to describe influencers or individuals posting pictures of sports cars, designer bags, and extravagant lifestyles. This behavior is widely criticized online.
• General Connotation: The word is almost always negative and used to describe someone else's behavior. You would never say, “我今天想炫耀一下” (“I want to show off a bit today”) unless you were being self-deprecating or sarcastic.
• Humblebragging: A modern, more subtle form of `炫耀` is captured by the internet slang 凡尔赛文学 (fán'ěrsài wénxué), literally “Versailles literature.” This refers to a style of humblebragging where someone complains about a problem that is actually a marker of high status (e.g., “Ugh, my new mansion is so big, cleaning it is a nightmare!”). This is seen as a more cunning, but still transparent, form of `炫耀`.

• Example 1:
• 他总是喜欢向别人炫耀他的新手机。
• Pinyin: Tā zǒngshì xǐhuān xiàng biérén xuànyào tā de xīn shǒujī.
• English: He always likes to show off his new phone to other people.
• Analysis: This is a classic, straightforward use of the word. The pattern `向 [someone] 炫耀 [something]` is very common.
• Example 2:
• 真正有才华的人，从不炫耀自己。
• Pinyin: Zhēnzhèng yǒu cáihuá de rén, cóngbù xuànyào zìjǐ.
• English: People with real talent never show off.
• Analysis: This sentence reflects the cultural value of modesty. It uses `炫耀` to create a contrast with true ability.
• Example 3:
• 她在社交媒体上炫耀她的名牌包，结果被网友批评了。
• Pinyin: Tā zài shèjiāo méitǐ shàng xuànyào tā de míngpái bāo, jiéguǒ bèi wǎngyǒu pīpíng le.
• English: She flaunted her designer bag on social media and ended up being criticized by netizens.
• Analysis: This demonstrates the common modern context of social media and the negative reaction that `炫耀` often provokes.
• Example 4:
• 与其炫耀财富，不如多做点儿慈善。
• Pinyin: Yǔqí xuànyào cáifù, bùrú duō zuò diǎnr císhàn.
• English: Instead of flaunting wealth, it would be better to do more charity.
• Analysis: The `与其…不如…` (yǔqí… bùrú…) structure means “rather than… it's better to…” It frames `炫耀` as a socially unproductive choice.
• Example 5:
• 他不是在分享，他就是在炫耀自己的成绩。
• Pinyin: Tā bùshì zài fēnxiǎng, tā jiùshì zài xuànyào zìjǐ de chéngjì.
• English: He's not sharing, he's just showing off his grades.
• Analysis: This sentence clearly distinguishes between “sharing” (`分享 - fēnxiǎng`) and “showing off” (`炫耀`). The key difference is the intent.
• Example 6:
• 小孩子得到新玩具时，总爱在朋友面前炫耀一番。
• Pinyin: Xiǎoháizi dédào xīn wánjù shí, zǒng ài zài péngyǒu miànqián xuànyào yī fān.
• English: When little kids get a new toy, they always love to show it off for a bit in front of their friends.
• Analysis: In the context of children, `炫耀` can be seen as a more innocent or naive behavior, though it's still not viewed as positive. The phrase `一番 (yī fān)` indicates doing the action for a short while.
• Example 7:
• 别到处炫耀你认识那个名人，这样很没意思。
• Pinyin: Bié dàochù xuànyào nǐ rènshì nàge míngrén, zhèyàng hěn méi yìsi.
• English: Don't go around showing off that you know that celebrity, it's really tacky.
• Analysis: This shows that `炫耀` isn't limited to physical possessions; it can also be about connections or status.
• Example 8:
• 他获得了一点小小的成功，就开始到处炫耀了。
• Pinyin: Tā huòdéle yīdiǎn xiǎoxiǎo de chénggōng, jiù kāishǐ dàochù xuànyào le.
• English: He achieved a little bit of success and immediately started showing off everywhere.
• Analysis: This implies that the person is insecure or lacks maturity, as they can't handle even minor success without bragging.
• Example 9:
• 低调是最好的炫耀。
• Pinyin: Dīdiào shì zuì hǎo de xuànyào.
• English: Being low-key is the best way to show off.
• Analysis: This is a popular modern paradoxical saying. It suggests that true success is evident without needing to be flaunted, and that quiet confidence is more impressive than loud bragging.
• Example 10:
• 她炫耀的不是她的财富，而是她的幸福。
• Pinyin: Tā xuànyào de bùshì tā de cáifù, érshì tā de xìngfú.
• English: What she was flaunting wasn't her wealth, but her happiness.
• Analysis: This highlights that one can `炫耀` intangible things, like a perfect relationship or a happy life, often to the annoyance of others. The `不是…而是…` (bùshì… érshì…) pattern is used for contrast.

• `炫耀` vs. Sharing (分享 - fēnxiǎng): This is the biggest pitfall for learners. If you get a good grade and tell your parents, you are sharing your happiness (`分享你的快乐`). If you loudly announce your grade to the whole class to make them feel bad about their own grades, you are showing off (`炫耀你的成绩`). Intent is everything. `炫耀` is self-centered and aims to create a hierarchy, while `分享` is inclusive and aims to connect.
  • Incorrect: “I'm so proud of my diploma, I want to `炫耀` it to my family!”
  • Why it's wrong: This sounds like you want to make your family feel inferior with your diploma.
  • Correct: “I'm so proud of my diploma, I want to share this good news with my family!” (我想跟家人分享这个好消息！- Wǒ xiǎng gēn jiārén fēnxiǎng zhège hǎo xiāoxī!)
• `炫耀` vs. Proud (骄傲 - jiāo'ào): `骄傲` is the *feeling* of pride, which can be positive (e.g., “I'm proud of my son”). `炫耀` is the negative *action* of displaying that pride ostentatiously. When `骄傲` is used to mean “arrogant,” it describes the character trait that leads to the action of `炫耀`.

• 显摆 (xiǎnbai) - A very common, slightly more colloquial synonym for `炫耀`. Often used in Northern China.
• 炫富 (xuànfù) - A specific and very common type of `炫耀`: flaunting wealth.
• 夸耀 (kuāyào) - To boast or brag. Very similar to `炫耀`, but perhaps focuses more on verbal boasting than displaying items.
• 谦虚 (qiānxū) - The direct antonym: modest, humble. This is a highly praised virtue.
• 低调 (dīdiào) - The opposite behavior: to be low-key, discreet, and not draw attention to oneself.
• 骄傲 (jiāo'ào) - Can mean “proud” (positive) or “arrogant” (negative). Arrogance is the personal trait that often leads to the act of `炫耀`.
• 面子 (miànzi) - “Face,” or social dignity/prestige. `炫耀` can be an attempt to gain face.