插嘴

chāzuǐ

verb HSK 7 #11,150

Meanings

1 to interrupt; to butt in
2 to cut into a conversation

Characters

to insert; to stick in

Literally 'insert one's mouth' — shoving your mouth into someone else's conversation.

Examples

大人说话，小孩别插嘴！

Dàrén shuōhuà, xiǎohái bié chāzuǐ!

Adults are talking — children shouldn't interrupt!

对不起，我插一句嘴。

Duìbùqǐ, wǒ chā yí jù zuǐ.

Sorry, let me interject.

Tips

usage

插嘴 always carries a slightly negative tone — the interrupter is being rude or nosy. The polite way to interrupt is 打断一下 (dǎduàn yíxià, 'let me interrupt briefly'). 插不上嘴 means 'couldn't get a word in edgewise.'

Stroke Order

插 chā

嘴 zuǐ