直言无讳 直言無諱 zhí yán wú huì to speak one's mind / to speak candidly (idiom) 说曹操曹操就到 說曹操曹操就到 shuō cáo cāo cáo cāo jiù dào lit. speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives / fig. speak of the devil and he doth appear 有一说一 有一說一 yǒu yī shuō yī to speak plainly / to speak one’s mind / to say directly 有一说一 有一說一 yǒu yī - shuō yī to speak plainly / to speak one’s mind / to say directly 敢怒而不敢言 gǎn nù ér bù gǎn yán angry, but not daring to speak out (idiom) / obliged to remain silent about one's resentment / unable to voice objections syn 吃哑巴亏 吃啞巴虧 chī yǎ ba kuī to be forced to suffer in silence / unable to speak of one's bitter suffering syn 哑巴吃黄连，有苦说不出 啞巴吃黃連，有苦說不出 yǎ ba chī huáng lián , yǒu kǔ shuō bu chū to be forced to suffer in silence (idiom) / unable to speak of one's bitter suffering / sometimes written 啞子吃黃連，有苦說不出|哑子吃黄连，有苦说不出 哽噎 gěng yē to choke on one's food / to be choked up emotionally, unable to speak 顾不得 顧不得 gù bu de unable to change sth / unable to deal with syn 想不通 xiǎng bu tōng unable to understand / unable to get over 经不起 經不起 jīng bu qǐ can't stand it / to be unable to bear / to be unable to resist syn 容不得 róng bu dé unable to tolerate / intolerant / unable to bear sth 一蹶不振 yī jué bù zhèn one stumble, unable to rise (idiom) / a setback leading to total collapse / ruined at a stroke / unable to recover after a minor hitch syn 憋不住 biē bu zhù to be unable to repress sth / to be unable to contain oneself 不知好歹 bù zhī hǎo dǎi unable to differentiate good from bad (idiom) / not to know what's good for one / unable to recognize others' good intentions 拗不过 拗不過 niù bu guò can't persuade / unable to make (sb) change their mind / unable to resist (sb) syn 盲人摸象 máng rén mō xiàng blind people touch an elephant (idiom, from Nirvana sutra 大般涅槃經|大般涅盘经[da4 ban1 Nie4 pan2 jing1]) / fig. unable to see the big picture / to mistake the part for the whole / unable to see the wood for the trees syn 众盲摸象 眾盲摸象 zhòng máng mō xiàng multitude of blind people touch an elephant (idiom, from Nirvana sutra 大般涅槃經|大般涅盘经[da4 ban1 Nie4 pan2 jing1]) / fig. unable to see the big picture / to mistake the part for the whole / unable to see the wood for the trees 瞎子摸象 xiā zi mō xiàng blind people touch an elephant (idiom, from Nirvana sutra 大般涅槃經|大般涅盘经[da4 ban1 Nie4 pan2 jing1]) / fig. unable to see the big picture / to mistake the part for the whole / unable to see the wood for the trees syn 过不下 過不下 guò bu xià to be unable to continue living (in a certain manner) / to be unable to make a living 成事不足，败事有余 成事不足，敗事有餘 chéng shì bù zú , bài shì yǒu yú unable to accomplish anything but liable to spoil everything (idiom) / unable to do anything right / never make, but always mar syn 出口 chū kǒu an exit / CL:個|个[ge4] / to speak / to export / (of a ship) to leave port syn 说话 說話 shuō huà to speak / to say / to talk / to gossip / to tell stories / talk / word syn 讲话 講話 jiǎng huà a speech / to speak / to talk / to address / CL:個|个[ge4] syn 说出 說出 shuō chū to speak out / to declare (one's view) syn 言语 言語 yán yu to speak / to tell syn 谈到 談到 tán dào to refer to / to speak about / to talk about 出声 出聲 chū shēng to make a sound / to speak / to cry out 小声 小聲 xiǎo shēng in a low voice / (speak) in whispers 说实话 說實話 shuō shí huà to speak the truth / truth to tell / frankly 不语 不語 bù yǔ (literary) not to speak 谈起 談起 tán qǐ to mention / to speak of / to talk about 围攻 圍攻 wéi gōng to besiege / to beleaguer / to attack from all sides / to jointly speak or write against sb syn 随口 隨口 suí kǒu (speak) without thinking the matter through syn 张口 張口 zhāng kǒu to open one's mouth (to eat, speak etc) / to gape / to start talking (esp. to make a request) 辩护 辯護 biàn hù to speak in defense of / to argue in favor of / to defend / to plead syn 张嘴 張嘴 zhāng zuǐ to open one's mouth (to speak, esp. to make a request) / to gape syn 直言 zhí yán to speak forthrightly / to talk bluntly syn 恭维 恭維 gōng wei to praise / to speak highly of / compliment / praise syn 对口 對口 duì kǒu (of two performers) to speak or sing alternately / to be fit for the purposes of a job or task / (of food) to suit sb's taste syn 异口同声 異口同聲 yì kǒu tóng shēng different mouths, same voice / to speak in unison (idiom) syn 出言 chū yán to speak / words syn 说白了 說白了 shuō bái le to speak frankly syn 讲坛 講壇 jiǎng tán a platform (to speak) syn 娓娓 wěi wěi (to speak) at length / engagingly / captivatingly syn 吞吞吐吐 tūn tūn tǔ tǔ to hum and haw (idiom) / to mumble as if hiding sth / to speak and break off, then start again / to hold sth back syn 挖苦 wā kǔ to speak sarcastically / to make cutting remarks / also pr. [wa1 ku5] syn 多嘴 duō zuǐ talkative / to speak out of turn / to blab / to shoot one's mouth off / rumors fly syn 讲演 講演 jiǎng yǎn to lecture / to speak publicly syn 直白 zhí bái to speak frankly / frank / open / blunt syn 说上 說上 shuō shàng to say / to speak / to talk 嗫嚅 囁嚅 niè rú to stammer / to mumble / to speak haltingly 言说 言說 yán shuō to speak of / to refer to 侃侃而谈 侃侃而談 kǎn kǎn ér tán to speak frankly with assurance syn 转圈 轉圈 zhuàn quān to rotate / to twirl / to run around / to encircle / rotation / (coll.) to speak indirectly / to beat about the bush syn 直言不讳 直言不諱 zhí yán bù huì to speak bluntly (idiom) / not to mince words syn 夸赞 誇贊 kuā zàn to praise / to speak highly of / to commend syn 褒贬 褒貶 bāo biǎn to appraise / to pass judgment on / to speak ill of / praise and censure / appraisal syn 难以启齿 難以啟齒 nán yǐ qǐ chǐ to be too embarrassed to mention sth (idiom) / to find it hard to speak about sth syn 抬举 擡舉 tái ju to lift sth up / to elevate sb / to honor sb (with compliments, gifts, promotions etc) / to show great regard / to speak highly / Taiwan pr. [tai2 ju3] syn 抬举 抬舉 tái jǔ to lift sth up / to elevate sb / to honor sb (with compliments, gifts, promotions etc) / to show great regard / to speak highly syn 剖腹 pōu fù to cut open the abdomen / to disembowel / to speak from the heart 不可同日而语 不可同日而語 bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ lit. mustn't speak of two things on the same day (idiom) / not to be mentioned in the same breath / incomparable syn 拐弯抹角 拐彎抹角 guǎi wān mò jiǎo lit. going round the curves and skirting the corners (idiom) / fig. to speak in a roundabout way / to equivocate / to beat about the bush syn 言不由衷 yán bù yóu zhōng to say sth without meaning it (idiom) / to speak tongue in cheek / saying one thing but meaning sth different syn 洗耳恭听 洗耳恭聽 xǐ ěr gōng tīng to listen with respectful attention / (a polite request to sb to speak) / we are all ears syn 信口开河 信口開河 xìn kǒu kāi hé to speak without thinking (idiom) / to blurt sth out syn 做声 做聲 zuò shēng to speak / to emit sound syn 振振有词 振振有詞 zhèn zhèn yǒu cí to speak forcefully and with justice (idiom) / to argue with the courage of one's convictions syn 帮腔 幫腔 bāng qiāng vocal accompaniment in some traditional Chinese operas / to speak in support of / to chime in syn 三缄其口 三緘其口 sān jiān qí kǒu (idiom) reluctant to speak about it / tight-lipped syn 开腔 開腔 kāi qiāng to speak out / to start speaking syn 口称 口稱 kǒu chēng to speak / to say 信口雌黄 信口雌黃 xìn kǒu cí huáng to speak off the cuff / to casually opine syn 慎言 shèn yán to speak cautiously / to guard one's tongue 仗义执言 仗義執言 zhàng yì zhí yán to speak out for justice (idiom) / to take a stand on a matter of principle syn 瓮声瓮气 甕聲甕氣 wèng shēng wèng qì to speak in a low muffled voice (idiom) syn 唱高调 唱高調 chàng gāo diào to sing the high part / to speak fine sounding but empty words (idiom) syn 谈 談 tán to speak / to talk / to converse / to chat / to discuss syn 晤谈 晤談 wù tán to speak face to face / meeting / interview syn 讲 講 jiǎng to speak / to explain / to negotiate / to emphasize / to be particular about / as far as sth is concerned / speech / lecture syn 有口无心 有口無心 yǒu kǒu wú xīn to speak harshly but without any bad intent (idiom) syn 绕弯子 繞彎子 rào wān zi lit. to go on a long detour / fig. to speak vaguely around the topic without getting to the point / to beat about the bush syn 耍贫嘴 耍貧嘴 shuǎ pín zuǐ (coll.) to wag one's tongue / to indulge in idle gossip and silly jokes / to chatter endlessly / to speak glibly syn 万马齐喑 萬馬齊喑 wàn mǎ qí yīn thousands of horses, all mute (idiom) / no-one dares to speak out / an atmosphere of political oppression syn 谓 謂 wèi to speak / to say / to name / to designate / meaning / sense syn 操 cāo to grasp / to hold / to operate / to manage / to control / to steer / to exercise / to drill (practice) / to play / to speak (a language) syn 曰 yuē to speak / to say syn 谤 謗 bàng to slander / to defame / to speak ill of syn 呛 嗆 qiàng to irritate the nose / to choke (of smoke, smell etc) / pungent / (coll.) (Tw) to shout at sb / to scold / to speak out against sb syn 啧 嘖 zé (interj. of admiration or of disgust) / to click one's tongue / to attempt to (find an opportunity to) speak syn 讷 訥 nè to speak slowly / inarticulate 谗 讒 chán to slander / to defame / to misrepresent / to speak maliciously syn 謇 jiǎn to speak out boldly syn 唼 shǎ to speak evil / gobbling sound made by ducks 訚 誾 yín respectful / to speak gently 事实胜于雄辩 事實勝於雄辯 shì shí shèng yú xióng biàn facts speak louder than words (idiom) 同日而语 同日而語 tóng rì ér yǔ lit. to speak of two things on the same day (idiom) / to mention things on equal terms (often with negatives: you can't mention X at the same time as Y) syn 