hư văn
[hɨ˧˧ van˧˧]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
(noun) formality devoid of meaning
Noun
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Examples
Hoặc là dùng lễ có đủ nghi-tắc mà không có kính, dùng nhạc có đủ chuông trống mà không có hòa, thì lễ và nhạc chỉ là hư-văn mà thôi, không có nghĩa-lý gì cả.Or if rituals are performed following all the rules but without reverence, or music is played with all bells and drums but without harmony, then both ritual and music are merely empty formalities without any true meaning.
Wiktionary example (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Sources & notes
Imported from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); community review pending. source ↗
Common questions
What does “hư văn” mean?
(noun) formality devoid of meaning
Is “hư văn” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.