📖 Meaning
To be glib-tongued and wag one's lips and teeth in clever or witty talk. The character 课 is used interchangeably with 嗑, meaning to crack or chatter. It describes someone skilled at banter and verbal display, often in a theatrical or entertaining context.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Ming dynasty writer Tao Zongyi's work 'Nancun Chuogeng Lu' (Records of Farming While Resting in the Southern Village), in the entry titled 'Lianzhi Xiu.' The original passage depicts a performer who expounded on Laozi's scriptures with a brilliant mind, interspersed comic routines and jokes full of sharp wit, and displayed glib-tongued banter while always keeping the Daoist eye of insight ever-present. The idiom thus characterizes the skillful verbal artistry and playful repartee of such entertainers.
💡 Example Usage
他在台上课嘴撩牙，逗得观众哈哈大笑。
He bantered glibly on stage, making the audience roar with laughter.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 课嘴撩牙
- Pinyin: kè zuǐ liáo yá
- Literal Translation: chatter mouth, tease teeth
- Category: Communication
- Characters: 4