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陈词滥调 (chén cí làn diào) — cliché, platitude, hackneyed expression

Definition

An idiom for overused, empty phrases — 'clichés' or 'platitudes' that have lost their meaning through repetition. Used critically to dismiss stale writing or speech.

idiom
clichéplatitudehackneyed expression

Examples

  • 陈词滥调，。
    Zhè piān yǎn jiǎng gǎo quán shì chén cí làn diào, méi yǒu yí jù xīn yì.
    This speech draft is full of clichés — not a single original line.
  • 陈词滥调，。
    Tā de wén zhāng zǒng shì shǐ yòng chén cí làn diào, dú qǐ lái hěn méi yì si.
    His articles always use clichés, making them boring to read.
  • 陈词滥调。
    Méi tǐ píng lùn lǐ chōng mǎn le zhèng zhì jiā de chén cí làn diào.
    The media commentary is filled with politicians' clichés.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

陈词stale words
陈chénstale词cíwords
偏正Modifier + head
滥调hackneyed expressions
滥lànhackneyed调tiáoexpressions
偏正Modifier + head

陈 stale 词 words are paired with 滥 hackneyed 调 expressions, giving the sense of a tired cliché.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 陳; 陈 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阜阜fùmound
Sound part声符shēngfú
東
東dōng陳chén
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 陳 pairs 阜 (mound) with 東 as a sound component.

Open 陈 →

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 詞; 词 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech
Sound part声符shēngfú
司
司sī詞cí(r)
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 詞 uses 言, meaning speech, and 司 to show how it was pronounced; the simplified 词 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 词 →

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 濫; 滥 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
監
監jiān濫làn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 濫 pairs 水, water, with 監 to give the sound; the simplified 滥 is a later shorthand.

Open 滥 →

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 調; 调 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
周
周zhōu調tiáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 調 pairs 言 (speech) with 周, which shows how it was pronounced. The simplified 调 is a later shorthand.

Open 调 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesLanguage

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