Chinese word

嘴巴

Pronunciation

Pinyinzuǐ bā

Meaning

  • nounmouth

Example

宝宝用嘴巴咬玩具。báo bǎo yòng zuǐ bā yǎo wán jù

The baby bites a toy with its mouth.

Illustration for 嘴巴 (mouth)

More examples

生气时他用手捂住嘴巴,不想说话。shēng qì shí tā yòng shǒu wǔ zhù zuǐ bā bù xiǎng shuō huà

When he is angry, he covers his mouth with his hand and does not want to talk.

Core concept

The visible opening at the front of a face, where food enters and breath and speech come out.

Common phrases

  • 张开嘴巴zhāng kāi zuǐ bā

    open one's mouth

  • 闭上嘴巴bì shàng zuǐ bā

    close one's mouth

  • 捂住嘴巴wǔ zhù zuǐ bā

    cover one's mouth

Similar words

口kǒu: The mouth as a bodily organ or inner space, common in writing and formal expressions.

Definition in Chinese

口的口语称呼,常指人或动物脸部用于吃东西、发声和呼吸的外部开口。kǒu de kóu yǔ chēng hū cháng zhǐ rén huò dòng wù liǎn bù yòng yú chī dōng xī fā shēng hé hū xī de wài bù kāi kǒu

Word origin

嘴 (zuǐ, "beak or mouth") originally named a bird's bill or a mouth, while 巴 (bā, "suffixal element") helps form this familiar spoken noun.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this colloquial term fits family talk and ordinary conversation, while formal or medical writing more often uses a shorter or technical term.

Related words

Word lists with this word