溢于言表

溢於言表

yìyú-yánbiǎo

idiom #43,405

Meanings

1 evident in one's words
2 (of feeling) obvious from what is said
3 to show through in one's speech

Characters

surface; outward expression

Examples

HSK 1

她对孩子的爱溢于言表。

Tā duì háizi de ài yìyú-yánbiǎo.

Her love for her child shows through in everything she says.

HSK 6

信中对老友的思念溢于言表。

Xìn zhōng duì lǎoyǒu de sīniàn yìyú-yánbiǎo.

In the letter, her longing for her old friend leaks out of every line.

HSK 7-9

听到这个消息，他的喜悦溢于言表。

Tīngdào zhège xiāoxi, tā de xǐyuè yìyú-yánbiǎo.

On hearing the news, his joy was plain in his every word.

Tips

usage

Subject is always an emotion (喜悦, 悲伤, 思念, 感激). Literal: '(the feeling) overflows beyond the surface of the words' - the speaker tried to be measured but the emotion still leaks through.

register

Written/literary flavor. Essays, letters, formal reports. In spoken Chinese prefer 看得出来 or 一眼就能看出.

Stroke Order

溢 yì

于 yú

言 yán

表 biǎo