自言自语

自言自語

zìyán-zìyǔ

idiom HSK 6 #10,081

Meanings

Self speak, self talk - talking to oneself.

HSK 1

别自言自语了，有话就说。

Bié zìyán-zìyǔ le, yǒu huà jiù shuō.

Stop muttering to yourself - if you have something to say, say it.

HSK 2

她一边做饭一边自言自语。

Tā yībiān zuòfàn yībiān zìyán-zìyǔ.

She mutters to herself while cooking.

HSK 6

他独自坐在房间里自言自语，仿佛在思考着什么。

Tā dúzì zuò zài fángjiān lǐ zìyán-zìyǔ, fǎngfú zài sīkǎo zhe shénme.

He sat alone in the room muttering to himself, as if pondering something.

grammar

This follows the ABAC pattern (自_自_), where the same character repeats in positions 1 and 3. Other examples: 自由自在, 自作自受.

自 zì

言 yán

语 yǔ