1.
all show and no substance; failing to live up to one's sign
Describes a situation where the outward appearance, reputation, or advertising does not match the actual quality or reality. Literally means the signboard has fallen over — the impressive facade has collapsed.
あの店は看板倒れだ。
That shop is all show and no substance.
有名シェフの店だが、味は看板倒れだった。
It was a famous chef's restaurant, but the taste didn't live up to the name.
スローガンだけ立派で実行が伴わないのは看板倒れと言わざるを得ない。
Having impressive slogans without follow-through can only be called all talk and no action.
Literally "the signboard has fallen over" — the impressive sign (看板) collapses (倒れ), meaning the outward appearance or reputation does not hold up. A vivid metaphor for businesses, policies, or people that promise much but deliver little.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 看板倒れに終わる: to end up as empty promises
- 看板倒れの政策: a policy that's all talk
- 看板倒れにならないように: so as not to be all show
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 名前負け: losing to one's name — when someone or something can't live up to a grand name
- 有名無実: famous in name only — formal expression for something that exists in name but has no substance
- 羊頭狗肉: sheep's head, dog meat — advertising something fine but selling something inferior (more literary)