kōngtóu zhīpiào: 空头支票 - Bounced Check, Empty Promise

• Keywords: kōngtóu zhīpiào, 空头支票, empty promise, bounced check, unfulfilled promise, making false promises, Chinese idiom, empty words, breaking a promise in Chinese.
• Summary: The Chinese idiom 空头支票 (kōngtóu zhīpiào) literally translates to a “bounced check” or an “empty-headed check.” Figuratively, and far more commonly, it refers to an empty promise—a commitment made that the speaker has no intention or ability to fulfill. Understanding this term is key to grasping Chinese cultural concepts of trust, reliability, and the consequences of making unfulfilled promises in business, politics, and personal relationships.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): kōngtóu zhīpiào
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A (but a very common and useful idiom)
• Concise Definition: A promise that will not be kept; an unfulfilled commitment.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine someone writes you a check for a million dollars, but you know their bank account is empty. That feeling of holding something that looks valuable but is actually worthless is the essence of a `空头支票`. It's not just a broken promise; it's a promise that was hollow from the start. It carries a strong negative connotation of deception, irresponsibility, or untrustworthiness.

• 空 (kōng): Means “empty,” “hollow,” or “air.” Think of an empty room (空房间 - kōng fángjiān).
• 头 (tóu): Means “head.” In this context, `空头 (kōngtóu)` is a fixed phrase meaning “empty,” “unbacked,” or “speculative” (as in short-selling stocks).
• 支 (zhī): Means “to pay out” or “branch.” Here, it relates to the act of payment.
• 票 (piào): Means “a slip of paper,” “bill,” or “ticket.” A check is a type of `票`.

These characters combine to literally mean “empty/unbacked payment slip,” which is the perfect description of a financial check that will bounce. This powerful literal image is then applied to any promise that lacks substance.

In Chinese culture, personal and professional relationships are built on a foundation of 信用 (xìnyòng) - trustworthiness or credibility. Making a promise and keeping it is fundamental to maintaining one's 面子 (miànzi) - “face” or social standing. Giving someone a `空头支票` is therefore a serious social offense. It signals that you are unreliable and untrustworthy, severely damaging your `信用`. This can have long-lasting consequences, as people will be reluctant to cooperate with or believe you in the future. While Western culture has similar concepts like “empty words” or “writing checks you can't cash,” `空头支票` is a much more common, everyday metaphor in Chinese. The Western phrase often implies boastful arrogance (“his ego is writing checks his body can't cash”), whereas `空头支票` is used more broadly to describe any promise—big or small, boastful or seemingly sincere—that is ultimately not met. It focuses more on the deceit and the disappointment of the recipient.

This term is versatile and appears in many modern contexts.

• In Business: A boss who promises a promotion or a bonus to motivate employees but never delivers is said to be “开空头支票 (kāi kōngtóu zhīpiào)” - “writing empty promises.”
• In Politics: Campaign promises from politicians are frequently criticized as `空头支票` by the public and media if they seem unrealistic or are later abandoned.
• In Personal Relationships: If a partner constantly promises to change a bad habit (e.g., quit smoking, spend more time at home) but never does, their promises are `空头支票`.
• On Social Media: Netizens will quickly call out companies or influencers whose marketing claims or apologies are seen as insincere `空头支票`.

The term is almost exclusively negative and implies a degree of intentional deceit or gross irresponsibility on the part of the promiser.

• Example 1:
  • 老板又给我们开了空头支票，说好的奖金到现在还没影儿。
  • Pinyin: Lǎobǎn yòu gěi wǒmen kāile kōngtóu zhīpiào, shuō hǎo de jiǎngjīn dào xiànzài hái méi yǐngr.
  • English: The boss gave us another empty promise; the bonus he mentioned still hasn't even shown a shadow of appearing.
  • Analysis: This is a classic workplace complaint. “开 (kāi)” means “to open” or “to write out,” so “开空头支票” is the verb phrase for “to make an empty promise.”
• Example 2:
  • 别相信他的话，他这个人最喜欢开空头支票了。
  • Pinyin: Bié xiāngxìn tā de huà, tā zhè ge rén zuì xǐhuan kāi kōngtóu zhīpiào le.
  • English: Don't believe what he says, he's the type of person who loves making empty promises.
  • Analysis: This sentence is a warning about someone's character, highlighting their untrustworthiness.
• Example 3:
  • 他向女朋友保证会戒烟，结果这只是又一张空头支票。
  • Pinyin: Tā xiàng nǚpéngyou bǎozhèng huì jièyān, jiéguǒ zhè zhǐshì yòu yī zhāng kōngtóu zhīpiào.
  • English: He guaranteed his girlfriend he would quit smoking, but in the end, it was just another empty promise.
  • Analysis: Note the use of the measure word `张 (zhāng)`, which is used for flat objects like paper or checks. This maintains the literal metaphor of the idiom.
• Example 4:
  • 政客们的竞选承诺听起来很棒，但人民担心这不过是空头支票。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngkèmen de jìngxuǎn chéngnuò tīng qǐlái hěn bàng, dàn rénmín dānxīn zhè bùguò shì kōngtóu zhīpiào.
  • English: The politicians' campaign promises sound great, but the people worry they are nothing more than empty promises.
  • Analysis: A very common usage in political discourse, showing public skepticism.
• Example 5:
  • 我不想给你开空头支票，这件事我真的不确定能不能办到。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bùxiǎng gěi nǐ kāi kōngtóu zhīpiào, zhè jiàn shì wǒ zhēn de bù quèdìng néng bu néng bàndào.
  • English: I don't want to give you an empty promise; I'm really not sure if I can get this done.
  • Analysis: Here, the speaker uses the term negatively to show their own sincerity and responsibility. They are managing expectations honestly.
• Example 6:
  • 这家公司的广告听起来天花乱坠，就怕最后是空头支票。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī de guǎnggào tīng qǐlái tiānhuāluànzhuì, jiù pà zuìhòu shì kōngtóu zhīpiào.
  • English: This company's advertisements sound incredibly fancy, I'm just afraid they'll turn out to be empty promises.
  • Analysis: `天花乱坠 (tiānhuāluànzhuì)` is an idiom for extravagant, flowery language. It pairs well with `空头支票` to describe deceptive marketing.
• Example 7:
  • 他承诺会还钱，可一个月过去了，我意识到那是一张空头支票。
  • Pinyin: Tā chéngnuò huì huán qián, kě yī gè yuè guòqù le, wǒ yìshí dào nà shì yī zhāng kōngtóu zhīpiào.
  • English: He promised to pay back the money, but after a month passed, I realized it was an empty promise.
  • Analysis: This sentence describes the moment of realization when a promise is revealed to be false.
• Example 8:
  • 对孩子最好的教育，就是不要给他们开空头支票。
  • Pinyin: Duì háizi zuì hǎo de jiàoyù, jiùshì bùyào gěi tāmen kāi kōngtóu zhīpiào.
  • English: The best education for children is to not make them empty promises.
  • Analysis: This shows the term used in the context of parenting and the importance of building trust with children.
• Example 9:
  • 他的创业计划听起来很宏大，但没有实际资金，一切都只是空头支票。
  • Pinyin: Tā de chuàngyè jìhuà tīng qǐlái hěn hóngdà, dàn méiyǒu shíjì zījīn, yīqiè dōu zhǐshì kōngtóu zhīpiào.
  • English: His startup plan sounds very ambitious, but without actual funding, it's all just an empty promise.
  • Analysis: This example connects the figurative meaning back to its literal, financial roots. The lack of money (`资金`) makes the plan a `空头支票`.
• Example 10:
  • 你必须停止开空头支票，开始用行动来证明你自己！
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bìxū tíngzhǐ kāi kōngtóu zhīpiào, kāishǐ yòng xíngdòng lái zhèngmíng nǐ zìjǐ!
  • English: You must stop making empty promises and start proving yourself with actions!
  • Analysis: A powerful, direct command contrasting “empty promises” with “actions” (`行动`).

• False Friend Alert: “Bounced Check” vs. `空头支票`
  • While the literal meaning is “bounced check,” an English speaker might mistakenly assume the term is only for financial situations. In modern Chinese, its figurative use for any broken promise is far more common. If your friend promises to help you move but doesn't show up, you wouldn't say “he gave me a bounced check” in English, but you would absolutely say he gave you a `空头支票` in Chinese.
• Common Mistake: Applying it to Events, Not Promises
  • Do not use `空头支票` to describe a disappointing event that was not a promise.
  • Incorrect: 我的航班被取消了，真是一张空头支票。(Wǒ de hángbān bèi qǔxiāo le, zhēn shì yī zhāng kōngtóu zhīpiào.) - My flight was cancelled, what an empty promise.
  • Why it's wrong: A cancelled flight is an unfortunate event. The `空头支票` is the promise from the airline that they failed to keep. You would say, “The airline's guarantee of a flight was a `空头支票`,” not that the cancellation itself *is* one. The term describes the promise, not the outcome.

• 画饼充饥 (huà bǐng chōng jī) - “To draw a cake to satisfy hunger.” A classic chengyu idiom that is a perfect synonym for `空头支票`, describing a fantasy that cannot provide real relief.
• 言而无信 (yán ér wú xìn) - “To speak but lack trustworthiness.” An idiom describing a person who does not keep their word; the character flaw of someone who gives `空头支票`.
• 食言 (shí yán) - “To eat one's words.” A common verb meaning to break a promise. If you `开空头支票`, you are `食言`.
• 承诺 (chéngnuò) - “A promise; to promise.” This is the neutral term. A `空头支票` is a type of `承诺` that is bad and unfulfilled.
• 保证 (bǎozhèng) - “A guarantee; to guarantee.” A stronger, more formal promise. An unfulfilled `保证` is a very serious `空头支票`.
• 信用 (xìnyòng) - “Trustworthiness, credit, credibility.” This is what you lose when you make `空头支票`.
• 吹牛 (chuī niú) - “To brag, to boast” (literally “to blow up a cow”). Boasting often involves making grand promises that turn out to be `空头支票`.
• 忽悠 (hūyou) - “To dupe, to trick, to bamboozle.” This verb often involves using `空头支票` as a tool to deceive someone.