只言片语 (zhǐ yán piàn yǔ) — a few words; fragmentary remarks; a brief, incomplete statement

Definition

A set phrase meaning 'a few scattered words' — fragmentary speech or writing, never a full account. Conveys that what was said is incomplete and unreliable as evidence.

idiom
a few wordsfragmentary remarksa briefincomplete statement

Examples

  • 只言片语，。
    Tā zǒu zhī qián zhī liú xià zhǐ yán piàn yǔ, shuí yě bù zhī dào tā qù le nǎ lǐ.
    He left only a few words before leaving; nobody knows where he went.
  • 只言片语，。
    Wǒ cóng tā men de duì huà zhōng zhī tīng dào zhǐ yán piàn yǔ, méi fǎ pàn duàn fā shēng le shén me.
    I only caught fragments of their conversation and couldn't tell what happened.
  • ，只言片语。
    Zhè piān wén zhāng xiě dé hán hu bù qīng, zhǐ yǒu zhǐ yán piàn yǔ kě yǐ lǐ jiě.
    This article is vague and unclear; only a few isolated words are understandable.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

只言a few words
只zhīa single言yánwords
偏正Modifier + head
片语fragmentary phrases
片piànfragment语yǔphrases
偏正Modifier + head

只言 and 片语 are paired, giving the sense of a few words and broken phrases.

Characters in this word

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

只 shows air coming out of a mouth, for a word used in speech.

Open 只 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The early form of 言 shows an opening and a mark indicating a location; the location is not described as the source of speech.

Open 言 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 片 →

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 語; 语 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
吾
吾wú語yǔ
Same sound today

The form 語 pairs 言 (speech) with 吾, which gives the sound; this note is about 語, not 语.

Open 语 →

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