聊以塞責(zé)liáo yǐ sè zéas a matter of form; just to meet the bare requirements
? 第三，那位寶貝外甥吳蓀甫也不把老舅父放在眼里了，只來了這么一通～的電報(bào)，卻并沒專派一條小火輪來請他去。(茅盾《子夜》96) On top of that,his nephew had failed to show him the courtesy due to an uncle; he had sent only an ordinary telegram—and even that only as a matter of form—instead of a specially chartered boat to fetch him to Shanghai.
? 寶玉卻未曾會過孫紹祖一面的，次日只得過去了，～。(《紅樓夢》1038) Baoyu had never set eyes on this Sun Shaozu,so the next day he had to go over for courtesy’s sake to meet him… 聊以塞責(zé)liáo yǐ sè zé塞：搪塞；責(zé)：責(zé)任。姑且用以搪塞、應(yīng)付自己應(yīng)負(fù)的責(zé)任。trump up so as to avoid blame, just to meet the pure requirements |