胡言乱语

胡言亂語

húyánluànyǔ

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

他喝醉了，开始胡言乱语。

Tā hē zuì le, kāishǐ húyánluànyǔ.

He got drunk and started talking nonsense.

别胡言乱语了，说点正经的。

Bié húyánluànyǔ le, shuō diǎn zhèngjīng de.

Stop talking nonsense and say something serious.

病人发烧时会胡言乱语。

Bìngrén fāshāo shí huì húyánluànyǔ.

Patients may talk deliriously when they have a fever.

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