Definition
出言不逊 is a four-character idiom (chengyu) meaning 'to speak rudely or arrogantly'. Literally, it means 'to utter words without humility' (出言 'utter words', 不 'not', 逊 'humble'). It is used to criticize someone for speaking disrespectfully, often in formal or literary contexts. The phrase is fixed and cannot be separated or modified.
f.e.
to speak insolentlyto utter arrogant and disrespectful words
Examples
- 出言不逊。Tā yīnwèi chū yán bú ér bèi lǎobǎn kāichú.He was fired by the boss because he spoke insolently.
- 出言不逊。Zài zhǎngbèi miànqián chū yán bú shì fēicháng bù lǐmào de.Speaking insolently in front of elders is very rude.
- 出言不逊，。Nà wèi guānyuán duì jìzhě chū yán bú, yǐnqǐ le hěn dà de zhēngyì.That official spoke insolently to reporters, causing great controversy.
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