📖 Meaning
Describes speaking with a harsh, impatient tone and agitated facial expression. It characterizes how a person looks and sounds when they lose their temper and lash out in anger.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the 'Book of Later Han' (后汉书), specifically the biography of Liu Kuan (刘宽), an Eastern Han dynasty official renowned for his extraordinary tolerance and composure. The text praises him by noting that even in sudden emergencies or crises, he was never seen to speak harshly or show an agitated expression ('虽在仓卒，未尝疾言遽色'). The phrase thus held up Liu Kuan's serene demeanor as a model contrast to hot-tempered behavior.
💡 Example Usage
他向来脾气温和，待人接物从不疾言遽色，因此深受同事们的敬重。
He has always been even-tempered and never speaks harshly or shows agitation when dealing with others, so he is deeply respected by his colleagues.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 疾言遽色
- Pinyin: jí yán jù sè
- Literal Translation: rapid, speech, abrupt, expression
- Category: Emotion
- Characters: 4