胡言乱语

胡言亂語

húyán-luànyǔ

idiom #8,592

Meanings

1 to talk nonsense; to speak gibberish
2 wild and incoherent talk; ravings

Characters

reckless; nonsensical; wildly

chaotic; disordered

language; speech

Wild words + chaotic speech - an ABCB-structured idiom where both halves mean 'nonsensical talk,' reinforcing the idea.

Examples

HSK 4

病人发烧时会胡言乱语。

Bìngrén fāshāo shí huì húyán-luànyǔ.

Patients may talk deliriously when they have a fever.

HSK 5

他喝醉了，开始胡言乱语。

Tā hēzuì le, kāishǐ húyán-luànyǔ.

He got drunk and started talking nonsense.

HSK 7-9

别胡言乱语了，说点正经的。

Bié húyán-luànyǔ le, shuō diǎn zhèngjīng de.

Stop talking nonsense and say something serious.

Tips

grammar

胡言乱语 follows the ABCB pattern where A and C are adverbs (胡/乱 = recklessly/chaotically) modifying B and D (言/语 = speech). Similar idioms: 胡说八道 (talk rubbish), 胡搅蛮缠 (pester unreasonably).

Stroke Order

胡 hú

言 yán

乱 luàn

语 yǔ