· Zidian ·Learn ·Pinyin ·HSK ·Quiz ·Radicals
中文 Sheets
My Favorites
No favorites yet
History
No history yet
Home / Idiom / 巧言令色

to be glib in one's speech and wear an ingratiating expression (idiom)

巧言令色
qiǎo yán lìng sè
Idiom
New to Chinese?Start with pinyin·See the learning path
Examples2 available
They say fine words are no virtue if they're insincere and that's him in a nutshell. He's all talk but doesn't mean a word of it.
「巧言令色，鲜矣仁」这句说话，用来形容他最适合不过了。他说的话，没有一句是有誠意的。
Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.
巧言令色，鲜矣仁。
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
graceful words, flowery speech (idiom); elegant but insincere words · cheating wheedling · dishonest rhetoric花言巧语huā yán qiǎo yǔ(idiom) sweet words · sweet talk · cajolery甜言蜜语tián yán mì yǔfalse · hypocritical · artificial · sham虚伪xū wěilit. to have a tongue like the reed of a wind instrument (idiom) · fig. to have a glib tongue巧舌如簧qiǎo shé rú huáng
Antonyms
to give one's bare heart into sb else's keeping (idiom); sb has one's absolute confidence · to trust completely · to confide in sb with entire sincerity推心置腹tuī xīn zhì fùlit. deal sincerely and fairly (idiom); frank and open-minded · plain speaking · Let's talk frankly and openly between ourselves. · to put one's cards on the table开诚布公kāi chéng bù gōng