"Words" • Chinese-English Dictionary

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嘴里 zuǐ lǐ mouth / in the mouth / on one's lips / speech / words
言语 yán yǔ words / speech / (spoken) language
话语 huà yǔ words / speech / utterance / discourse
言辞 yán cí words / expression / what one says
言谈 yán tán discourse / words / utterance / what one says / manner of speech
笔墨 bǐ mò pen and ink / words / writing
出言 chū yán to speak / words
字句 zì jù words / expressions / writing
一席话 yī xí huà the content of a conversation / words / remarks
唇舌 chún shé argument / words / lips and tongue
言 yán words / speech / to say / to talk
为止 wéi zhǐ until / (used in combination with words like 到[dao4] or 至[zhi4] in constructs of the form 到...為止|到...为止)
也就是说 yě jiù shì shuō in other words / that is to say / so / thus
字数 zì shù number of written characters / number of words / word count
词汇 cí huì vocabulary / list of words (e.g. for language teaching purposes) / word
两句 liǎng jù (say) a few words
废话 fèi huà nonsense / rubbish / superfluous words / You don't say! / No kidding! (gently sarcastic)
喝道 hè dào to shout (i.e. to say in a loud voice) (usually followed by the words shouted) / (old) (of yamen bailiffs etc) to walk ahead of an official, shouting at pedestrians to clear the way
就是说 jiù shì shuō in other words / that is
字典 zì diǎn Chinese character dictionary (containing entries for single characters, contrasted with a 詞典|词典[ci2 dian3], which has entries for words of one or more characters) / (coll.) dictionary / CL:本[ben3]
用语 yòng yǔ choice of words / wording / phraseology / term
言行 yán xíng words and actions / what one says and what one does
含蓄 hán xù to contain / to hold / (of a person or style etc) reserved / restrained / (of words, writings) full of hidden meaning / implicit / veiled (criticism)
换句话说 huàn jù huà shuō in other words
自述 zì shù to recount in one's own words / autobiography / written self-introduction
致辞 zhì cí to express in words or writing / to make a speech (esp. short introduction, vote of thanks, afterword, funeral homily etc) / to address (an audience) / same as 致詞|致词
情话 qíng huà terms of endearment / words of love
心口 xīn kǒu pit of the stomach / solar plexus / words and thoughts
亲口 qīn kǒu one's own mouth / fig. in one's own words / to say sth personally
甜言蜜语 tián yán mì yǔ (idiom) sweet words / sweet talk / cajolery
释义 shì yì the meaning of sth / an explanation of the meaning of words or phrases / definition / an interpretation (of doctrine) / religious doctrine
好话 hǎo huà friendly advice / words spoken on sb's behalf / a good word / kind words / words that sound fine but are not followed up with actions
换言之 huàn yán zhī in other words
鬼话 guǐ huà lie / false words / nonsense / CL:篇[pian1]
铿锵 kēng qiāng sonorous / resounding / fig. resounding words
字词 zì cí letters or words / words or phrase
词句 cí jù words and sentences
坏话 huài huà unpleasant talk / malicious words
默念 mò niàn to read silently / to mouth (the words of a prayer etc) / to say to oneself / to contemplate inwardly
遗言 yí yán words of the deceased / last words of the dying / wisdom of past sages
语重心长 yǔ zhòng xīn cháng meaningful and heartfelt words (idiom) / sincere and earnest wishes
粗口 cū kǒu swear words / obscene language / foul language
引子 yǐn zi introduction / primer / opening words
千言万语 qiān yán wàn yǔ thousands of words (idiom) / having a lot of things to say / talking nonstop
字里行间 zì lǐ háng jiān between the words and the lines (idiom) / implied meaning / connotations
哑口无言 yǎ kǒu wú yán dumbstruck and unable to reply (idiom) / left speechless / at a loss for words
言喻 yán yù to describe / to put into words
危言耸听 wēi yán sǒng tīng frightening words to scare people (idiom) / alarmist talk / reds under the beds
连用 lián yòng to use (two words etc) together / to use (sth) continuously
语义 yǔ yì meaning of words / semantic
直言不讳 zhí yán bù huì to speak bluntly (idiom) / not to mince words
花言巧语 huā yán qiǎo yǔ graceful words, flowery speech (idiom) / elegant but insincere words / cheating wheedling / dishonest rhetoric
蜜语 mì yǔ sweet words / sweet talk
音译 yīn yì transliteration (rendering phonetic value, e.g. of English words in Chinese characters) / characters giving phonetic value of Chinese word or name (when the correct characters may be unknown) / transcription (linguistics) / to transcribe phonetic symbols
语塞 yǔ sè to be at a loss for words / speechless
口风 kǒu fēng meaning behind the words / what sb really means to say / one's intentions as revealed in one's words / tone of speech
舌战 shé zhàn verbal sparring / duel of words
食言 shí yán lit. to eat one's words / to break a promise / to go back on one's word / to renege / unsworn testimony
点破 diǎn pò to lay bare in a few words / to expose with a word / to point out bluntly
戏言 xì yán joking matter / to go back on one's words
张口结舌 zhāng kǒu jié shé agape and tongue-tied (idiom) / at a loss for words / gaping and speechless
画龙点睛 huà lóng diǎn jīng to paint a dragon and dot in the eyes (idiom) / fig. to add the vital finishing touch / the crucial point that brings the subject to life / a few words to clinch the point
用字 yòng zì to use letters / to use words / diction
慰劳 wèi láo to show appreciation (by kind words, small gifts etc) / to comfort
察言观色 chá yán guān sè to weigh up sb's words and observe their facial expression (idiom) / to discern what sb thinks from his body language
气话 qì huà angry words / sth said in the moment of anger
豪言壮语 háo yán zhuàng yǔ bold, visionary words
梦话 mèng huà talking in one's sleep / words spoken during sleep / fig. speech bearing no relation to reality / delusions
黑话 hēi huà argot / bandits' secret jargon / malicious words
双关 shuāng guān pun / play on words
至理名言 zhì lǐ míng yán wise saying / words of wisdom
肺腑之言 fèi fǔ zhī yán words from the bottom of one's heart
出尔反尔 chū ěr fǎn ěr old: to reap the consequences of one's words (idiom, from Mencius) / modern: to go back on one's word / to blow hot and cold / to contradict oneself / inconsistent
口水战 kǒu shuǐ zhàn war of words
圣明 shèng míng enlightened sage / brilliant master (flattering words applied to ruler)
言传 yán chuán to convey in words
格律 gé lu:4 forms of versification / conventions regarding set number of words and lines, choice of tonal patterns and rhyme schemes for various types of Classical Chinese poetic composition / metrical verse
言传身教 yán chuán shēn jiào to teach by words and example (idiom)
缠绵悱恻 chán mián fěi cè (of a person) sad beyond words (idiom) / (of music, literature etc) poignant / very sentimental
组词 zǔ cí to combine words / word formation
严词 yán cí forceful (criticism etc) / to use strong words
强词夺理 qiǎng cí duó lǐ to twist words and force logic (idiom) / sophistry / loud rhetoric making up for fallacious argument / shoving false arguments down people's throats
重码 chóng mǎ repeated code / coincident code (i.e. two characters or words having the same encoding)
咬文嚼字 yǎo wén jiáo zì to bite words and chew characters (idiom) / punctilious about minutiae of wording
虚言 xū yán empty words / false words
恶语 è yǔ evil words / malicious talk
唇枪舌剑 chún qiāng shé jiàn fight a battle of words / cross verbal swords
田汉 Tián Hàn Tian Han (1898-1968), author of the words of the PRC national anthem March of the Volunteer Army 義勇軍進行曲|义勇军进行曲
甜言 tián yán sweet words / fine talk
绝笔 jué bǐ words written on one’s deathbed / an artist's final work / swansong
常用字 cháng yòng zì everyday words
文辞 wén cí language / use of words / phraseology / articles / essays / writing
善言 shàn yán good words
赘言 zhuì yán superfluous words / unnecessary detail
词不达意 cí bù dá yì words do not convey the meaning / poorly expressed / senseless / inarticulate
话里有话 huà lǐ yǒu huà one's words carry an implicit meaning
释文 shì wén interpreting words / to explain the meaning of words in classic texts / to decipher an old script
严辞 yán cí stern words
双关语 shuāng guān yǔ pun / play on words / a phrase with a double meaning
呢 ne particle indicating that a previously asked question is to be applied to the preceding word ("What about ...?", "And ...?") / particle for inquiring about location ("Where is ...?") / particle signaling a pause, to emphasize the preceding words and allow the listener time to take them on board ("ok?", "are you with me?") / (at the end of a declarative sentence) particle indicating continuation of a state or action / particle indicating strong affirmation
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