Dictionary › 形同虚设

形同虚设

xíng tóng xū shè

4-character word Traditional 形同虛設

What 形同虚设 means

1. to exist in name only
2. empty shell
3. useless (idiom)

The characters in 形同虚设

• 形xíngto appear; to look; form
• 同tónglike; same; similar
• 虚xūemptiness; void; abstract theory or guiding principles
• 设shèto set up; to put in place; (math) given; suppose; if

Example sentences

• 法律必须被信仰，否则形同虚设。
  Fǎlǜ bìxū bèi xìnyǎng, fǒuzé xíngtóngxūshè.
  One must have conviction in law, or its existence will be superficial only.