Chinese word

插嘴

Pronunciation

Pinyinchā zuǐ

Meaning

  • verbinterrupt

Example

不要在别人讲话时插嘴。bú yào zài bié rén jiǎng huà shí chā zuǐ

Don't interrupt when someone else is speaking.

Illustration for 插嘴 (interrupt)

More examples

他无意中在讨论时插嘴，马上道歉并让别人继续。tā wú yì zhōng zài tǎo lùn shí chā zuǐ mǎ shàng dào qiàn bìng ràng bié rén jì xù

He accidentally interrupted during the discussion, apologized at once, and let the others continue.

Core concept

Words pushed into another person's speaking turn, breaking the flow of the conversation.

Common phrases

  • 无意中插嘴wú yì zhōng chā zuǐ

    interrupt without meaning to

  • 强行插嘴qiáng xíng chā zuǐ

    force one's way into a conversation

Similar words

打断dǎ duàn: Interrupt someone's speech or action so that it stops before it is finished.
插话chā huà: Briefly add one's own words or opinion while someone else is speaking.
打岔dǎ chà: Break into a conversation with a different topic or side remark that shifts its direction.
插言chā yán: Briefly add words to a conversation or situation to express an opinion.

Definition in Chinese

在别人说话的时候把自己的话插入，使对方的话被打断或中断发言的动作。zài bié rén shuō huà de shí hòu bǎ zì jǐ de huà chā rù shǐ duì fāng de huà bèi dǎ duàn huò zhōng duàn fā yán de dòng zuò

Word origin

插嘴 (chāzuǐ, "to cut into someone's speech") combines 插 (chā, "insert") + 嘴 (zuǐ, "mouth"), picturing words being pushed into another person's speaking turn.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, this verb often sounds critical rather than neutral, so it can describe an unwanted entry even when the speaker has something useful to add.

Other meanings

  • cut inverb
  • butt inverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word