10 Chinese Idioms About Speaking & The Power of Words

Public opinion is powerful

Literal: Many mouths melt gold

This powerful metaphor suggests that numerous (众) mouths (口) speaking together can melt (铄) even gold (金). Originating in the Han Dynasty, it reflects the ancient Chinese understanding of public opinion's force. The image of collective voices generating enough heat to melt precious metal dramaticall...

Hide evil behind sweet words

Literal: Mouth honey belly sword

This vivid idiom contrasts honey (蜜) in the mouth (口) with swords (剑) in the belly (腹), originating from Tang Dynasty political discourse. It was first recorded in descriptions of court officials who spoke pleasantly while harboring harmful intentions. The imagery draws from the traditional Chinese ...

Read between lines

Literal: Watch words observe face

This psychological idiom combines watching words (察言) and observing expressions (观色), reflecting ancient Chinese diplomatic practices where court officials needed acute skills in reading both verbal and non-verbal cues. The practice became crucial during the Warring States period, where misreading a...

Live simply

Literal: Pillow stream rinse stone

This idiom, literally meaning 'pillow on the stream (流) and rinse with stones (石),' originated from a story about Sun Chu during the Jin Dynasty. He intended to say 枕石漱流 (pillow on stones, rinse in the stream), describing a life of reclusion. However, he mistakenly said 枕流漱石. When corrected, he stu...

Speak without meaning it

Literal: Words not from heart

First appearing in Han Dynasty court records, this idiom describes words (言) not originating (不由) from within one's heart (衷). It gained particular significance during the Tang Dynasty when court intrigue made distinguishing sincere from insincere speech crucial for survival. Historical accounts tel...

All talk no substance

Literal: Talk big and empty

This critical idiom emerged during the Warring States period when advisors would boast (夸) excessively (夸) in their (其) speeches (谈). Historical accounts describe how certain ministers would make grand promises but deliver little results. The repetition of '夸' emphasizes the emptiness of such speech...

Penetrating deeply to the essence

Literal: Whip strikes into core

This penetrating idiom describes how a whip strike (鞭辟) penetrates (入) to the innermost layer (里), originating from Tang Dynasty literary criticism. It first appeared in evaluations of essays that revealed profound truths beneath surface appearances. The whip metaphor reflected the sharp, cutting po...

Exhausted from excessive talking

Literal: Mouth dry tongue parched

This physical idiom describes a dry (干) mouth (口) and parched (燥) tongue (舌), originating from Tang Dynasty medical texts. It initially appeared in clinical descriptions of febrile diseases where dehydration produced these uncomfortable symptoms. During the Song Dynasty, it expanded beyond medical c...

Meets minimum standards only

Literal: Barely satisfies expectations

This nuanced idiom describes something that somewhat (差) forcefully (强) satisfies (人意) expectations, originating from Han Dynasty literary criticism. Interestingly, its meaning evolved significantly - originally indicating exceeding expectations, it gradually shifted to describe barely adequate perf...

To sum up everything discussed

Literal: Altogether and speaking it

This formal idiom combines totality (总) with expression (言之) through a linking particle (而), emerging directly from Han Dynasty scholarly writing rather than narrative origins. During the Song Dynasty, it became standard in academic conclusions as Neo-Confucian scholars systematized knowledge presen...