📖 Meaning
Describes someone whose spoken words are as polished and well-structured as a written essay. It highlights quick literary wit and outstanding eloquence, where every utterance flows naturally into refined prose.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom is cited in Fan Wenlan's work 'Tang Dynasty Buddhism: Buddhist Sects.' It describes the legendary Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang, who mastered both Chinese and Sanskrit and possessed profound Buddhist scholarship. When translating Buddhist scriptures, Xuanzang would dictate with such fluency that his spoken words immediately formed elegant, polished prose. Scribes could transcribe his speech directly, and the result was ready to read without any editing.
💡 Example Usage
他出语成章，三言两语便让全场折服。
He spoke with such effortless eloquence that a few words were enough to win over the entire audience.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 出语成章
- Pinyin: chū yǔ chéng zhāng
- Literal Translation: speak, words, become, composition
- Category: Communication
- Characters: 4