侃侃而谈 (kǎn kǎn ér tán) — to speak with confidence and ease

Definition

Means speaking calmly and confidently, with substance. Unlike 夸夸其谈, the talk here is well-grounded, not empty or boastful.

phrase

to speak with confidence and ease

侃侃而谈，。
Tā zài huì yì shàng kǎn kǎn ér tán, yíng dé le dà jiā de zhǎng shēng.
He spoke confidently at the meeting and won everyone's applause.
侃侃而谈，。
Miàn shì shí tā kǎn kǎn ér tán, gěi miàn shì guān liú xià le shēn kè de yìn xiàng.
During the interview he spoke with assurance, leaving a deep impression on the interviewer.
，侃侃而谈。
Zuò wéi yì míng wài jiāo guān, tā bì xū xué huì zài gè zhǒng chǎng hé kǎn kǎn ér tán.
As a diplomat, he must learn to speak confidently in all kinds of situations.

Characters in this word

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

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

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 而 is a picture of a beard.

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 談; 谈 is its simplified writing.

言炎談

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yánspeech

Sound part声符shēngfú

炎

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

For 谈, the traditional form 談 pairs 言 (speech) with 炎 (yán) as the sound part.

Appears in