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启齿 (qǐ chǐ) — to start to talk about something; to bring up (a topic, often in negative constructions)

Definition

启齿 (qǐchǐ) is a formal verb meaning 'to bring up a topic' — almost always used in negative contexts like 难以启齿 ('hard to bring up') or 不屑启齿 ('not deign to mention').

verb
to start to talk about somethingto bring up (a topic, often in negative constructions)

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè jiàn shì wǒ shí zài nán yǐ qǐ chǐ.
    I really find it hard to bring up this matter.
  • ，。
    Tā yóu yù le bàn tiān, zhōng yú qǐ le chǐ.
    He hesitated for a long time and finally spoke up.
  • ，。
    Zài nà zhǒng chǎng hé, tā gēn běn qǐ bù liǎo chǐ.
    On that occasion, he simply couldn't bring himself to say anything.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

启qǐopen
齿chǐteeth

启 open + 齿 teeth literally opens the teeth, i.e. starts to speak.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 啟; 启 is its simplified writing.

For 启, the traditional form 啟 comes from an earlier shape with 戶 (door) and 又 (hand), showing a hand opening a door.

Open 启 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 齒; 齿 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 齒 originally drew a mouth full of teeth, and later gained a part that gives a clue to its sound. The simplified 齿 is a later shorthand.

Open 齿 →
Appears in
Communication & Speech

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