📖 Meaning
To speak without proper restraint, saying things that are inappropriate or out of proportion. It describes someone who lacks a sense of propriety in conversation, often speaking carelessly or rudely. The idiom implies a failure to gauge the weight and suitability of one's words.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Yuan dynasty play 'The Golden Phoenix Hairpin' (金凤钗) by Zheng Tingyu (郑廷玉). In the third act, an innkeeper's assistant says, 'I may speak carelessly from time to time, morning or night—please bear with me.' The expression thus entered literary usage as a humble apology for speaking without due restraint, reflecting the social norms of courtesy in speech.
💡 Example Usage
他脾气急，若有言高语低之处，还请多多包涵。
He has a quick temper, so please forgive him if he speaks without proper restraint at times.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 言高语低
- Pinyin: yán gāo yǔ dī
- Literal Translation: speech high, words low
- Category: Communication
- Characters: 4