tall conical paper hat worn as a public humiliation
dunce cap
(fig.) flattery
Definitions (Wiktionary)
noun, figuratively
empty title or honor
noun, literally
tall hat (Classifier: 頂／顶)
noun, figuratively
flattery (syn.) 高帽
Examples (Wiktionary)
Mandarin
他们用绳子捆绑了劣绅，给他戴上高帽子，牵着游乡（湘潭、湘乡叫游团，醴陵叫游垅）。
他們用繩子捆綁了劣紳，給他戴上高帽子，牽着遊鄉（湘潭、湘鄉叫遊團，醴陵叫遊壠）。
tā men yòng shéng zi kǔn bǎng le liè shēn ， gěi tā dài shàng gāo mào zi ， qiān zhe yóu xiāng （ xiāng tán ， xiāng xiāng jiào yóu tuán ， lǐ líng jiào yóu lǒng ） ．
They tether the evil gentry with ropes, crown them with tall paper-hats and parade them through the villages. (In Xiangtan and Xiangxiang they call this “parading through the township” and in Liling “parading through the fields”.)
Mandarin
但是，农会议决，今天不给他戴高帽子。因为今天给他戴过了，这劣绅横了心，不畏罪了，不如放他回去，等日再戴。
但是，農會議決，今天不給他戴高帽子。因為今天給他戴過了，這劣紳橫了心，不畏罪了，不如放他回去，等日再戴。
dàn shì ， nóng huì yì jué ， jīn tiān bù gěi tā dài gāo mào zi ． yīn wèi jīn tiān gěi tā dài guò le ， zhè liè shēn héng le xīn ， bù wèi zuì le ， bù rú fàng tā huí qù ， děng rì zài dài ．
Then the association decided not to crown him that day. They argued that if he were crowned right away, he would become case-hardened and no longer afraid, and that it would be better to let him go home and crown him some other day.