📖 Meaning
Sweet, pleasing, and flattering words. It refers to honeyed speech used to coax, flatter, or deceive others. Often used to describe insincere or manipulative language.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase appears in Ling Mengchu's 'Slapping the Table in Amazement' (初刻拍案惊奇), a renowned Ming Dynasty short story collection. In one tale, characters are instructed to secretly seek out a boatman named Zhou Si and use sweet, flattering words to lure him to a location without revealing the truth. The phrase highlights how honeyed speech can be employed as a tool for deception.
💡 Example Usage
他用甘言美语骗取了老人的信任，然后卷走了所有积蓄。
He used sweet, flattering words to win the old man's trust, then made off with all his savings.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 甘言美语
- Pinyin: gān yán měi yǔ
- Literal Translation: sweet, words, beautiful, words
- Category: Communication
- Characters: 4