胡言乱语 (hú yán luàn yǔ) — to talk nonsense; to rave (incoherently)

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'to talk utter nonsense' — both 胡 (reckless) and 乱 (random) emphasize that what is said is groundless and incoherent. Used as a verb or to label content (news, rumors) as fabricated.

idiom
to talk nonsenseto rave (incoherently)

Examples

  • ，胡言乱语。
    Tā fā shāo dào sì shí dù, kāi shǐ hú yán luàn yǔ.
    He had a fever of forty degrees and started raving.
  • 胡言乱语，。
    Nǐ bié tīng tā hú yán luàn yǔ, gēn běn méi yǒu zhè huí shì.
    Don't listen to his nonsense — none of that happened at all.
  • 胡言乱语，。
    Zhè piān xīn wén wán quán shì hú yán luàn yǔ, háo wú shì shí gēn jù.
    This news article is complete nonsense, with no factual basis.

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.

胡言nonsense talk
胡húdisorderly言yánspeech
偏正Modifier + head
乱语incoherent speech
乱luàndisorderly语yǔspeech
偏正Modifier + head

胡言 and 乱语 both describe incoherent speech, so together they mean talk nonsense.

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
⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
古
古gǔ胡hú
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

胡 combines 古, which points to its sound, with ⺼ (肉), meaning meat or flesh.

Open 胡 →

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 →

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 亂; 乱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
乚Written in full as乙yǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
𤔔
𤔔𤔔亂luàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 亂 contains 𤔔, a drawing of combing tangled threads, and 乙; the simplified 乱 is only a later shorthand, not the historical shape.

Open 乱 →

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 →
Appears in
Communication & SpeechIdioms & Set Phrases

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