妙语连珠 (miào yǔ lián zhū) — to pour out scintillating witticisms; to speak with brilliant, witty remarks one after another

Definition

Idiom for speaking continuously with brilliant, witty remarks one after another — like pearls strung on a thread, each line a gem.

idiom
to pour out scintillating witticismsto speak with brilliantwitty remarks one after another

Examples

  • 妙语连珠，。
    Tā zài yǎn jiǎng zhōng miào yǔ lián zhū, yíng dé le guān zhòng de zhèn zhèn zhǎng shēng.
    During his speech, he poured out brilliant witticisms and won rounds of applause from the audience.
  • 妙语连珠，。
    Zhè wèi zhǔ chí rén miào yǔ lián zhū, ràng zhěng gè wǎn huì qì fen fēi cháng qīng sōng.
    The host was full of witty remarks, making the whole party atmosphere very relaxed.
  • 妙语连珠，。
    Péng you jù huì shí tā miào yǔ lián zhū, dà jiā dōu xiào dé hé bù lǒng zuǐ.
    At the friends' gathering, he was so witty that everyone couldn't stop laughing.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

妙语brilliant words
妙miàowonderful语yǔwords
偏正Modifier + head
连珠linked pearls
连liánlink珠zhūpearl
动宾Verb + object

妙语 are brilliant remarks, and 连珠 pictures them linked like pearls, giving witty talk flowing one after another.

Characters in this word

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
女女nǚwoman
Sound part声符shēngfú
少
少shǎo妙miào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

妙 combines 女, a woman, with 少, which gives the sound.

Open 妙 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 語; 语 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
吾
吾wú語yǔ
Same sound today

The form 語 pairs 言 (speech) with 吾, which gives the sound; this note is about 語, not 语.

Open 语 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 連; 连 is its simplified writing.

  • 辶辵chuòto walk
  • 車車jūchariot

The traditional form 連 joins 辶 (walk) and 車 (chariot) to show a man-drawn carriage; this note is about 連, not the simplified 连.

Open 连 →

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
𤣩Written in full as玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
朱
朱zhū珠zhū
Same sound today

The left side 𤣩, a form of 玉, connects the character to jade, while the right side 朱 gives the sound.

Open 珠 →

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