耍贫嘴 (shuǎ pín zuǐ) — to talk glibly, to chatter endlessly, to crack silly jokes

Definition

Colloquial verb meaning to chatter and crack silly jokes, usually playfully, without getting to the point. The 把-construction can be used: 他耍了半天贫嘴.

verb
to talk gliblyto chatter endlesslyto crack silly jokes

Examples

  • 耍贫嘴，。
    Tā zǒng ài shuǎ pín zuǐ, méi yí jù zhèng jīng huà.
    He always loves to chatter glibly, not a single serious word.
  • 耍贫嘴，。
    Bié shuǎ pín zuǐ le, kuài shuō zhèng shì ba.
    Stop cracking jokes and get to the point.
  • ，。
    Tā shuǎ le bàn tiān pín zuǐ, bǎ dà jiā dòu dé hā hā dà xiào.
    He chattered glibly for ages, making everyone laugh out loud.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

耍shuǎto play with
贫嘴glib mouth
贫pínglib嘴zuǐmouth
偏正Modifier + head

耍 means to play with, and 贫嘴 is a glib mouth; together they suggest endless idle chatter.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 耍 →

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 貧; 贫 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèimoney
Sound part声符shēngfú
分
分fēn貧pín
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 貧 has 分 above 貝, a money part. 分 gives the sound and means 'divide', giving the image of dividing one's money; the simplified 贫 is a later shorthand.

Open 贫 →

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
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
觜
觜zī嘴
Same sound today

嘴 pairs 口 (mouth) with 觜, which supplies its sound.

Open 嘴 →

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