Chinese word

俗语

Pronunciation

Pinyinsú yǔ

Meaning

  • nounproverb

Example

他常引用一句俗语来教育孩子。tā cháng yǐn yòng yí jù sú yǔ lái jiào yù hái zi

He often quotes a proverb to teach his children.

Illustration for 俗语 (proverb)

More examples

民间的俗语往往蕴含生活智慧。mín jiān de sú yǔ wáng wǎng yùn hán shēng huó zhì huì

Folk proverbs often contain wisdom about life.

Core concept

A compact piece of spoken wisdom that turns common experience into a memorable line.

Common phrases

  • 民间俗语mín jiān sú yǔ

    folk proverb

  • 常见的俗语cháng jiàn de sú yǔ

    common proverb

  • 口头流传的俗语kǒu tóu liú chuán de sú yǔ

    oral proverb

Similar words

俗话sú huà: A familiar, simple saying often spoken in everyday conversation.
谚语yàn yǔ: A time-honored proverb that conveys life wisdom or a lesson briefly.
成语chéng yǔ: A set phrase with a short form and a meaning that is often figurative.
俚语lí yǔ: A casual word or expression used in speech but often avoided in formal settings.

Definition in Chinese

民间口头流传的简短格言，用来总结经验或劝诫，常在日常对话中使用。mín jiān kǒu tóu liú chuán de jián duǎn gé yán yòng lái zǒng jié jīng yàn huò quàn jiè cháng zài rì cháng duì huà zhōng shǐ yòng

Word origin

The compound 俗 (sú, "folk; customary") + 语 (yǔ, "words") points to a saying that grows out of popular speech rather than official or literary language.

Usage tips

  • In Chinese conversation, it can introduce advice in a relaxed way, but a formal report usually calls for more neutral wording.

Other meanings

  • colloquial expressionnoun
  • maximnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word