飴あめ細ざい工く

noun

candy sculpture; shaped candy

Traditional Japanese craft of shaping heated candy into figures of animals, people, etc.

• 祭まつりで飴あめ細ざい工くの職しょく人にんが龍りゅうを作つくっていた。

  At the festival, a candy sculptor was making a dragon.

noun

deceptive appearance; all show; paper tiger

Figurative use: something that looks impressive but lacks substance. Often used in set phrases like 飴細工のような.

• 彼かれの計けい画かくは飴あめ細ざい工くのようなものだ。

  His plan is like a paper tiger—all show and no substance.