插话 (chā huà) — to interrupt, to interject (a remark) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

To cut into an ongoing conversation to interject a remark — usually sudden and a bit rude. The first example shows 插不上话, meaning 'couldn't get a word in'.

verb

to interruptto interject (a remark)

Examples

，插话。
Kāi huì shí, tā zǒng xǐ huan chā huà.
He always likes to butt in during meetings.
，。
Tā chā le yí jù huà, dà jiā dōu bù shuō huà le.
He interjected a sentence, and everyone fell silent.
，。
Wǒ chā bú shàng huà, zhǐ hǎo tīng zhe.
I couldn't get a word in, so I just listened.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

插 means to insert and 话 means speech or remarks; together they convey inserting a remark or interrupting.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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 話; 话 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yánword

Sound part声符shēngfú

𠯑

𠯑𠯑話huà

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 話, 言 relates to words and 𠯑 gives the sound; the simplified 话 is a shorthand, so its right side is not that sound part.

Appears in

Communication & Speech

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