口出狂言 (kǒu chū kuáng yán) — to speak arrogantly or recklessly; to make boastful or crazy statements

Definition

A fixed expression meaning to blurt out wild, arrogant, or boastful talk — usually followed by trouble (得罪人, 闯祸). Colloquial and critical, like 'talk big' or 'run off at the mouth'.

verb
to speak arrogantly or recklesslyto make boastful or crazy statements

Examples

  • 口出狂言，。
    Tā zǒng ài kǒu chū kuáng yán, méi rén xiāng xìn tā de huà.
    He always speaks arrogantly; no one believes what he says.
  • 口出狂言，。
    Bié kǒu chū kuáng yán le, xiān bǎ shì qing zuò hǎo zài shuō.
    Stop talking nonsense; get the job done first before you say anything.
  • 口出狂言，。
    Tā hē zuì hòu kǒu chū kuáng yán, dé zuì le bù shǎo rén.
    After getting drunk, he made arrogant remarks and offended many people.

Origin

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 口 looks like an open mouth.

Open 口 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

出 combines 止 (foot) and 凵 (cave) to show a foot stepping out of a cave.

Open 出 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犭Written in full as犬quǎndog
Sound part声符shēngfú
㞷
㞷㞷狂kuáng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

狂 pairs 犭 (dog) with 㞷, which gives the sound; 㞷 is an old form of a character meaning 'to go'.

Open 狂 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The early form of 言 shows an opening and a mark indicating a location; the location is not described as the source of speech.

Open 言 →

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