失言 (shī yán) — to make an indiscreet remark, to have a slip of the tongue

Definition

失言 (shī yán) is a formal verb meaning 'to make an indiscreet remark' — it focuses on accidentally saying something inappropriate, not just any wrong word.

verb
to make an indiscreet remarkto have a slip of the tongue
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，失言。
    Duì bu qǐ, wǒ yì shí shī yán le.
    Sorry, I spoke indiscreetly in the heat of the moment.
  • ，。
    Tā zài huì shàng shī le yí cì yán, chà diǎn rě chū má fan.
    He slipped up once at the meeting and almost caused trouble.
  • ，失言。
    Lǐng dǎo rén shuō huà yào xiǎo xīn, bì miǎn shī yán.
    Leaders must speak carefully to avoid making indiscreet remarks.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

失shīlose
言yánwords

失 means lose, 言 means words, so the word describes losing control of one's words.

Characters in this word

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

The shape is explained as a fallen person's footprint surrounded by drops of blood; another reading pairs 手 (hand) and 乙 to show something falling from a hand.

Open 失 →

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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