口实

口實
kǒushí
noun #46,920

Meanings

  1. 1 pretext
  2. 2 grounds for criticism
  3. 3 something for people to talk about

Examples

HSK 4
Nǐ zhèyàng zuò, zhǐ huì gěi biéren liúxià kǒushí.
Doing that will only give people something to use against you.
HSK 5
Tā pà luò rén kǒushí, zhǔdòng bǎ nà bǐ qián tuì le huíqu.
Afraid of giving people grounds for gossip, he returned the money of his own accord.

Tips

usage
口实 lives mostly in fixed phrases: 贻人口实 and 落人口实 'to give others a handle against you'. In the 尚书, 商汤 fears that later ages will make him their 口实, their talking point.

Stroke Order

口 kǒu
实 shí