念念有词

念念有詞

niànniàn-yǒucí

idiom #61,332

Meanings

HSK 5

他在桌前念念有词地背单词。

Tā zài zhuō qián niànniàn-yǒucí de bèi dāncí.

He sat at the desk muttering vocabulary under his breath.

HSK 7-9

老和尚闭着眼念念有词。

Lǎo héshang bì zhe yǎn niànniàn-yǒucí.

The old monk sat with eyes closed, chanting softly to himself.

HSK 7-9

孩子手里捏着考卷，念念有词地祈祷。

Háizi shǒu lǐ niē zhe kǎojuàn, niànniàn-yǒucí de qídǎo.

The child clutched the test paper, muttering a little prayer.

history

Made famous by 吴承恩's 《西游记》, where Sun Wukong twirls his beads and 念念有词 to summon a wind.

memory

念 (recite) doubled + 有词 (have words). Picture lips constantly moving with audible mumbles.

念 niàn

有 yǒu

词 cí