口口声声 (kǒu kou shēng shēng) — to keep saying something repeatedly and insince…

Definition

A set phrase meaning someone keeps repeating the same claim — but the speaker doesn't actually mean it. Always has a negative, distrustful tone.

verb

to keep saying something repeatedly and insincerely (derogatory)

Examples

口口声声，。
Tā kǒu kou shēng shēng shuō yào jiè yān, dàn cóng lái méi jiè diào guò.
He keeps saying over and over that he'll quit smoking, but he's never actually quit.
口口声声，。
Lǎo bǎn kǒu kou shēng shēng dā ying zhǎng gōng zī, què yì zhí bú duì xiàn.
The boss repeatedly promises a raise, but never follows through.
口口声声，。
Tā kǒu kou shēng shēng shuō zì jǐ shì shòu hài zhě, qí shí shì tā xiān dòng shǒu de.
She keeps claiming over and over that she's the victim, but actually she started the fight.

Origin

Reduplicated word

构词法gòucífǎ

重叠chóngdiéReduplication

A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.

口口mouths

口kǒumouth口kǒumouth

重叠Reduplication

声声voices

声shēngvoice声shēngvoice

重叠Reduplication

口 and 声 both relate to speech; their repeated forms stress persistent uttering.

Characters in this word

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

The form 口 looks like an open mouth.

Open 口 →

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

The form 口 looks like an open mouth.

Open 口 →

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 聲; 声 is its simplified writing.

殸耳聲

Meaning part形符xíngfú

耳耳ěrear

Sound part声符shēngfú

殸

殸qìng聲shēng

Same sound today

The traditional form 聲 pairs 耳 (ear) with 殸 as a sound part; the simplified 声 is a shorthand and does not show those original parts.

Open 声 →