📖 Meaning
A metaphor for talking carelessly and recklessly, saying whatever comes to mind without regard for truth. It describes someone who speaks at random or makes unfounded claims without any basis. The phrase evokes the image of a mouth opening and closing at will, producing words without thought.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Yuan dynasty playwright Guan Hanqing's play 'Lu Zhailang' (《鲁斋郎》), specifically the fourth act. In the original passage, the character Zhang Kongmu (张孔目) is warned not to ramble on without substance — 'you should not keep talking at random and chattering incessantly.' The line compares such careless speech to the futile effort of trying to catch fish by climbing a tree (缘木求鱼). Over time, '信口开合' became a standalone idiom for speaking without restraint or factual basis.
💡 Example Usage
他几杯酒下肚，便信口开合地吹嘘起自己的往事。
After a few drinks, he started shooting off his mouth, boasting about his past exploits.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 信口开合
- Pinyin: xìn kǒu kāi hé
- Literal Translation: freely, mouth, open, close
- Category: Communication
- Characters: 4