嘴皮 (zuǐ pí) — lip(s); (colloquial) eloquence; ability to talk

Definition

Literally 'lip(s)' but usually appears in set phrases like 耍嘴皮 ('be glib, all talk') to mean eloquence or smooth talk — not a neutral word for the body part.

noun
lip(s)(colloquial) eloquenceability to talk
Measure word · 张

Examples

  • 嘴皮，。
    Tā de zuǐ pí hěn báo, yí pèng jiù liú xuè le.
    His lips are very thin and bleed as soon as they're touched.
  • 嘴皮，。
    Tā zhè rén jiù ài shuǎ zuǐ pí, guāng shuō bú zuò.
    This guy just loves to be glib — all talk and no action.
  • 嘴皮，。
    Liàn hǎo zuǐ pí xià de gōng fu, dāng zhǔ chí rén hěn zhòng yào.
    Practicing your oral eloquence is important for being a host.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

嘴zuǐmouth
皮pískin

“嘴” (mouth) and “皮” (skin) combine to mean the skin around the mouth, i.e. lips; colloquially, talking.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
觜
觜zī嘴
Same sound today

嘴 pairs 口 (mouth) with 觜, which supplies its sound.

Open 嘴 →

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

皮 shows a hand pulling fur off an animal pelt, with the pelt drawn at the upper left.

Open 皮 →

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