铁齿铜牙 (tiěchǐ-tóngyá) · sharp-tongued

Admiring praise for someone nobody can out-argue: 'teeth of iron and bronze' never give way. 伶牙俐齿 is close, but stresses quick, clever talk and is often said of children.

In Pop Culture

铁齿铜牙纪晓岚 Tiěchǐ-tóngyá Jì Xiǎolán

The Eloquent Ji Xiaolan

Qing court comedy series in which the scholar 纪晓岚 outwits the minister 和珅 with his tongue.

Stroke Order

铁 tiě

齿 chǐ

铜 tóng

牙 yá

Related Words

牙齿 yáchǐ HSK 5 #2,527

tooth / teeth

铜墙铁壁 tóngqiáng-tiěbì #47,352

copper walls and iron ramparts / impenetrable defense / an unbreakable barrier

矫正牙齿 jiǎozhèng yáchǐ

to correct teeth alignment / to get orthodontic treatment / to get braces

牙齿美白 yáchǐ měibái

teeth whitening / dental whitening procedure

咬牙切齿 yǎoyá-qièchǐ #31,517

to grit one's teeth in anger or hatred / to gnash one's teeth; seething with rage

破铜烂铁 pòtónglàntiě #28,308

worthless junk / scrap metal / broken odds and ends

铁 tiě HSK 7-9 #2,519

iron / hard; strong / firm; unshakable

铁杵磨成针 tiěchǔmóchéngzhēn

to grind an iron pestle into a needle / with enough perseverance, any task can be accomplished / slow and steady effort conquers anything

铁杵成针 tiěchǔ-chéngzhēn

grind an iron pestle into a needle / achieve the impossible through persistence / perseverance conquers all

铁路 tiělù HSK 5 #6,641

railway / railroad