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tāo 滔 tāo 滔 bù 不 jué 绝

滔滔不绝 tāo tāo bù jué

to talk on and on; a torrent of words

Literally: torrent torrent not cease

Intermediate 💬 Speech & communication
🃏 Practise intermediate chengyu

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Origin

Descriptive; no single source story. 滔滔 describes surging water in the Book of Songs; Five Dynasties texts apply it to unstoppable speech.

How to use it

Adverbial or predicate; neutral, sometimes teasing. Often 滔滔不绝地说/讲.

Example sentences

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  1. 一说到足球，他就滔滔不绝，谁也插不上话。
    Yī shuōdào zúqiú, tā jiù tāo tāo bù jué, shéi yě chā bu shàng huà.
    Once football comes up he talks on and on and nobody can get a word in.
    once speak-of football, he then torrent torrent not cease, who also insert not on word
  2. 导游滔滔不绝地介绍着这座古城的历史。
    Dǎoyóu tāo tāo bù jué de jièshào zhe zhè zuò gǔchéng de lìshǐ.
    The guide was pouring out the history of the old city without pause.
    guide torrent torrent not cease (particle) introduce (particle) this (measure) ancient-city (particle) history

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