磨破嘴皮子

mópòzuǐpízi

idiom

Meanings

1 to wear out one's lips
2 to talk until one is blue in the face
3 to repeat oneself endlessly trying to persuade

Characters

to grind; to wear

broken; through

Examples

我磨破嘴皮子他都不听。

Wǒ mópò zuǐpízi tā dōu bù tīng.

I talked until I was blue in the face but he still wouldn't listen.

为了说服客户，他几乎磨破了嘴皮子。

Wèile shuōfú kèhù, tā jīhū mópòle zuǐpízi.

To convince the client, he practically talked himself hoarse.

Tips

memory

Picture it literally: 磨破 (mópò, 'to grind through') + 嘴皮子 (zuǐpízi, 'lip-skin') — talking so much you wear holes in your own lips. Vivid and easy to remember.

register

Colloquial. Always carries a tone of frustration — the speaker tried hard and still failed.

Stroke Order

磨 mó

破 pò

嘴 zuǐ

皮 pí

子 zǐ