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开口

開口
kāikǒu
verb HSK 7-9 #2,307

Meanings

  1. 1 to open one's mouth; to start to speak
  2. 2 to make a request; to ask (someone for something)

Characters

开
kāi
to open
口
kǒu
mouth
Literally 'open mouth.' Beyond the physical action, it often implies summoning the courage to speak up or ask for something.

Examples

HSK 1
孩子两岁了还没开口说话。
Háizi liǎng suì le hái méi kāikǒu shuōhuà.
The child is two years old and still hasn't started talking.
HSK 2
他想借钱，但不好意思开口。
Tā xiǎng jiè qián, dàn bùhǎoyìsi kāikǒu.
He wanted to borrow money but was too embarrassed to ask.
HSK 5
他一开口就让人觉得很幽默。
Tā yì kāikǒu jiù ràng rén juéde hěn yōumò.
The moment he opens his mouth, people find him funny.

Tips

usage
开口 often carries emotional weight - it's not just speaking, it's breaking a silence. 不好意思开口 (embarrassed to ask) and 难以开口 (hard to bring up) are very common collocations.

Stroke Order

开 kāi
口 kǒu