be the same in appearance but different essentially
Mingtradeshiyi is a Chinese idiom. Its pinyin is m í NGM à OSH í y ì, which means similar names but different in essence.
explain
Trade: Qi et al; change: change. Similar in name but different in substance.
source
Kaisai, a book written by Shang Jun, said: "the trade between the two is both famous and practical, so it is necessary to observe them."
usage
They are similar in name but different in substance
be the same in appearance but different essentially
The river does not make the well - hé shuǐ bù fàn jǐng shuǐ
a piece of work embodying one 's utmost effort - liáng gōng kǔ xīn
from the corners of one 's eyes a beaming smile spread over one 's whole countenance - méi huā yǎn xiào