我们中国人常常用"花瓶"和"绣花枕头"来形容那些虚有其表的人，不过这样的形容词如果要说给外国朋友听，他们可不一定能明白。难道外国没有这样的人吗？非也。只是外国人不了解文化背景，无法理解而已。下回跟外国人聊天说到这个话题，你可以用macaroni（通心粉）这个词，既符合外国文化，又形象生动，保准他们能明白。
Macaroni, the name of pasta in any of various hollow shapes, is now used to describe people who are impressive in appearance but disappointing in substance. It's similar to the English saying "Many a fine dish has nothing on it" or the Chinese idiom "embroidered pillow," which boasts a beautiful cover, but with only worthless dried straw stuffed inside.
形状各异的意大利"通心粉"现在被用来形容那些外表光鲜亮丽而实质一无是处的人。它在这里表示的意思跟英语俗语"虚有其表"和汉语中的"绣花枕头"的意思一样，"绣花枕头"外表很漂亮，可里面却只是填满了干草而已。
For example:
- Hey, do you see that guy over there? He is so hot!
哎，你看见那边那个家伙了吗？他好帅啊！
- Hope he is not a macaroni person.
希望他不是个通心粉才好。

• impressive [im´presiv] a.给人深刻印象的 (高中英语单词)
• saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
• worthless [´wə:θləs] a.无价值的 (高中英语单词)