雷声大雨点小

Pinyin:

léishēng dà yǔdiǎn xiǎo

Meaning:

比喻打算做某事时说得很有气势或计划订得很好而实际行动却很少。

loud thunder, little rain; a lot of talk, little action

Character breakdown and explanation:

雷声：thunder

大：big

雨点：raindrop(s)

小：small

When people hear thunder they generally assume it will rain. However, sometimes even though there’s loud thunder, it rains very little or not at all. This expression is used to say that someone talks a lot about doing something or plans something out very well, but takes little real action. Sometimes this expression can also be used to describe that someone is fake-crying - crying loudly with little or no tears.

Example sentences:

你不能太相信他的承诺，他做事从来都是雷声大雨点小。

Nǐ bùnéng tài xiāngxìn tā de chéngnuò,tā zuòshì cónglái dōushì léishēng dà yǔdiǎn xiǎo.

Don’t pay too much attention to the promises he makes. He’s full of hot air.

这件事管理部门早就说要严肃处理，可雷声大雨点小，到后来居然提也不提了。

Zhèjiàn shì guǎnlǐ bùmén zǎojiù shuō yào yánsù chǔlǐ,kě léishēng dà yǔdiǎn xiǎo,dào hòulái jūrán tí yě bù tí le.

Management said a long time ago that they were serious about dealing with this matter, but it was all talk and no action. Afterwards they didn’t even mention it.

这小孩儿就是哭给他妈听的，雷声大雨点小。

Zhè xiǎoháir jiùshì kū gěi tā mā tīng de,léishēng dàyǔ diǎn xiǎo.

This kid’s just crying to get his mother’s attention. It’s like “loud thunder with no rain.”