Tā yùdào kùnnán shí péngyoumen què shuō fēngliánghuà.
When he was in trouble his friends just made cynical remarks.
Tips
culture
Literally 'cool-wind talk' — the image is someone standing in a cool breeze (i.e. comfortable, uninvolved) commenting on people who are sweating it out. Always negative; the speaker is detached, smug, and unhelpful.
usage
Almost always paired with 说 (shuō): 说风凉话 'to make cynical remarks'. The closest English equivalents are 'snide remark' or 'peanut gallery comment'.
