yángfèngyīnwéi: 阳奉阴违 - Feign Compliance, Secretly Disobey

• Keywords: yángfèngyīnwéi, 阳奉阴违, feign compliance, secretly disobey, passive-aggressive, two-faced, Chinese idioms, chengyu, workplace politics, outward compliance, inner defiance, say one thing do another, Chinese culture
• Summary: The Chinese idiom 阳奉阴违 (yángfèngyīnwéi) describes the act of feigning compliance while secretly disobeying. It means to outwardly agree with someone in authority—like a boss or a government official—but then secretly ignore their instructions or work against them. This concept of “outward compliance, inner defiance” is a crucial aspect of understanding Chinese workplace politics, social dynamics, and bureaucracy, where direct confrontation is often avoided. It's a form of passive resistance, often described as being two-faced or saying one thing and doing another.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): yáng fèng yīn wéi
• Part of Speech: Chengyu (成语) / Idiom
• HSK Level: N/A (Advanced / Chengyu)
• Concise Definition: To outwardly comply with an order or request while secretly acting against it.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine your boss gives you a task you think is pointless. Instead of arguing, you smile, say “Yes, of course!”, and then go back to your desk and either do it your own way or not at all. That's `阳奉阴违`. It's the art of appearing obedient to someone's face while completely disregarding them behind their back. It is a strongly negative term, implying deceit and insubordination.

• 阳 (yáng): The sun; open; overt; public. In this context, it means “in the open” or “publicly”.
• 奉 (fèng): To receive (an order); to comply; to obey.
• 阴 (yīn): The moon; hidden; covert; secret. Here, it means “in the dark” or “secretly”.
• 违 (wéi): To disobey; to violate; to go against.

When you put them together, the meaning is incredibly literal and clear: “Publicly obey, secretly disobey”. The structure perfectly contrasts the overt action (compliance) with the covert action (defiance).

`阳奉阴违` is deeply rooted in a culture that often prioritizes surface harmony (表面和谐, biǎomiàn héxié) and the concept of “face” (面子, miànzi) over direct confrontation. In many situations, openly disagreeing with a superior or an elder is seen as deeply disrespectful and disruptive. It causes the other person to lose face and creates conflict. Therefore, `阳奉阴违` can emerge as a strategy for navigating strict hierarchies. An employee might use it to avoid a pointless argument with their boss. A local official might use it to sidestep an impractical policy from the central government. It's a form of passive resistance that allows an individual to maintain the appearance of respect and harmony while still exercising their own agency. Comparison to a Western Concept: This is often compared to being “passive-aggressive”. While there are similarities, there's a key difference. Passive-aggression in the West is often seen as a dysfunctional way of handling personal emotions—expressing anger or resentment indirectly through actions like procrastination or the silent treatment. `阳奉阴违`, on the other hand, is less about personal emotion and more about strategic non-compliance within a power structure. It's a calculated move to manage a superior's demands without triggering direct conflict. While still seen as negative and deceitful, it's understood within the context of hierarchical pressure.

This idiom is alive and well in modern China, carrying a strong negative connotation. You would use it to criticize or accuse someone of this behavior, never to describe yourself in a positive light.

• In the Workplace: This is the most common setting. It's used to describe employees who nod along in meetings but then fail to implement their boss's directives, or who actively undermine a project they publicly supported.
• In Politics and Bureaucracy: It's famously used to describe how local governments or departments might handle directives from the central government. They publicly trumpet their support for a new policy but find loopholes, delay implementation, or simply ignore it in practice. This is captured by the famous saying: `上有政策，下有对策 (shàng yǒu zhèngcè, xià yǒu duìcè)` - “The top has policies, the bottom has countermeasures.”
• In Personal Life: While less common, it can be used to describe a teenager who agrees to their parents' curfew but sneaks out anyway, or a partner who agrees to a budget but then makes secret purchases.

• Example 1:
  • 他当着经理的面满口答应，背后却阳奉阴违，根本没按要求做。
  • Pinyin: Tā dāngzhe jīnglǐ de miàn mǎnkǒu dāyìng, bèihòu què yángfèngyīnwéi, gēnběn méi àn yāoqiú zuò.
  • English: He readily agreed to the manager's face, but behind his back, he feigned compliance and didn't follow the requirements at all.
  • Analysis: A classic workplace scenario. This sentence describes an employee's deceitful behavior and is a direct accusation of their insubordination.
• Example 2:
  • 公司里最怕的就是这种阳奉阴违的员工，他们会破坏整个团队的合作。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī lǐ zuì pà de jiùshì zhè zhǒng yángfèngyīnwéi de yuángōng, tāmen huì pòhuài zhěnggè tuánduì de hézuò.
  • English: The most feared employees in a company are the ones who feign compliance, as they can destroy the entire team's cooperation.
  • Analysis: Here, `阳奉阴违` is used as an adjective to describe a type of person. It highlights the negative impact of this behavior on a group.
• Example 3:
  • 我们需要的是真正的执行力，而不是口头上的支持和行动上的阳奉阴违。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào de shì zhēnzhèng de zhíxínglì, ér bùshì kǒutóu shàng de zhīchí hé xíngdòng shàng de yángfèngyīnwéi.
  • English: What we need is real execution, not verbal support and feigned compliance in action.
  • Analysis: This sentence clearly contrasts genuine action with the deceitful behavior of `阳奉阴违`. It's often used in management or official speeches.
• Example 4:
  • 有些地方官员对中央的政策阳奉阴违，导致改革难以推行。
  • Pinyin: Yǒuxiē dìfāng guānyuán duì zhōngyāng de zhèngcè yángfèngyīnwéi, dǎozhì gǎigé nányǐ tuīxíng.
  • English: Some local officials feign compliance with the central government's policies, making it difficult to implement reforms.
  • Analysis: A typical example from a political or bureaucratic context. It describes systemic resistance to top-down authority.
• Example 5:
  • 我警告你，别跟我来阳奉阴违这一套！
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jǐnggào nǐ, bié gēn wǒ lái yángfèngyīnwéi zhè yī tào!
  • English: I'm warning you, don't you dare try that “feigning compliance” trick on me!
  • Analysis: A very direct and confrontational use of the phrase. “这一套” (zhè yī tào) means “this trick” or “this set of behaviors.”
• Example 6:
  • 他表面上对你很尊敬，但我怀疑他只是在阳奉阴违。
  • Pinyin: Tā biǎomiàn shàng duì nǐ hěn zūnjìng, dàn wǒ huáiyí tā zhǐshì zài yángfèngyīnwéi.
  • English: He seems to respect you on the surface, but I suspect he's just feigning compliance.
  • Analysis: This shows the idiom used to express suspicion about someone's sincerity and loyalty.
• Example 7:
  • 与其阳奉阴违地拖延时间，不如坦诚地提出你的困难。
  • Pinyin: Yǔqí yángfèngyīnwéi de tuōyán shíjiān, bùrú tǎnchéng de tíchū nǐ de kùnnán.
  • English: Instead of feigning compliance and delaying, it would be better to honestly bring up your difficulties.
  • Analysis: This sentence offers an alternative to `阳奉阴违`, framing it as a cowardly and inefficient way to handle problems.
• Example 8:
  • 这家分公司总是对总部的命令阳奉阴违，独立性太强了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā fēngōngsī zǒngshì duì zǒngbù de mìnglìng yángfèngyīnwéi, dúlìxìng tài qiáng le.
  • English: This branch office always feigns compliance with orders from headquarters; its autonomy is too strong.
  • Analysis: Used in a business context to describe friction between different parts of a larger organization.
• Example 9:
  • 他的所有承诺都只是阳奉阴违的手段，为了稳住大家罢了。
  • Pinyin: Tā de suǒyǒu chéngnuò dōu zhǐshì yángfèngyīnwéi de shǒuduàn, wèile wěn zhù dàjiā bàle.
  • English: All of his promises were just a means of feigning compliance, merely to placate everyone.
  • Analysis: This frames `阳奉阴违` as a calculated political or social tactic (`手段`, shǒuduàn) to manage people's expectations without any intention of follow-through.
• Example 10:
  • 孩子进入青春期后，有时候会对父母的管教阳奉阴违。
  • Pinyin: Háizi jìnrù qīngchūnqī hòu, yǒu shíhòu huì duì fùmǔ de guǎnjiào yángfèngyīnwéi.
  • English: After entering puberty, children sometimes feign compliance with their parents' discipline.
  • Analysis: A relatable example from family life, showing the term can apply outside of professional and political contexts.

• Not Just “Two-Faced”: While a person who practices `阳奉阴违` is indeed two-faced (两面派), the idiom is more specific. It's not just about having two personalities; it's specifically about the action of disobeying an order that you have pretended to accept. There must be a directive or rule involved.
• Not Just “Lying”: Simply telling a lie is not `阳奉阴违`. For example, saying “I finished my homework” when you haven't is just lying (说谎, shuōhuǎng). `阳奉阴违` would be your mom telling you, “You must finish your homework right now!”, you replying, “Okay, Mom!”, and then secretly playing video games instead. The key elements are (1) receiving an instruction, (2) outwardly agreeing, and (3) covertly disobeying.
• Incorrect Usage Example:
  • Incorrect: “He said he liked my new haircut, but I know he didn't. He is so `阳奉阴违`.”
  • Why it's wrong: This is just insincerity or telling a white lie. There was no order or instruction given. He is simply being 口是心非 (kǒu shì xīn fēi) - his mouth says one thing, his heart another.
  • Correct context: “My boss told the team we must all use the new logo. I said 'Great idea!', but I continued using the old one in my presentations. I was being `阳奉阴违`.”

• 口是心非 (kǒu shì xīn fēi) - The mouth says yes, the heart says no. This describes the internal state of disagreement while speaking agreeably. `阳奉阴违` is the next step: taking disobedient *action* based on that disagreement.
• 两面派 (liǎng miàn pài) - A two-faced person. This is a noun describing the type of person who engages in `阳奉阴违`.
• 当面一套，背后一套 (dāng miàn yī tào, bèi hòu yī tào) - A more colloquial phrase meaning “one set of behaviors to your face, another set behind your back.” It's a vivid description of the same behavior as `阳奉阴违`.
• 上有政策，下有对策 (shàng yǒu zhèngcè, xià yǒu duìcè) - The top has policies, the bottom has countermeasures. Describes `阳奉阴违` on a systemic, bureaucratic level.
• 表面功夫 (biǎomiàn gōngfu) - Surface-level effort; going through the motions. This is the “阳奉” (public compliance) part of the idiom. It's the act of putting on a good show without any real substance.
• 言行不一 (yán xíng bù yī) - Words and actions don't match. This is a very broad term. `阳奉阴违` is a specific and malicious type of `言行不一`.
• 阿谀奉承 (ē yú fèng chéng) - To flatter and curry favor. Someone who is `阳奉阴违` often uses flattery to their superior's face to cover up their secret disobedience.