自言自语 zì yán zì yǔ
to talk to oneself; to mutter
Literally: self speak self talk
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Origin
Descriptive; no single source story. Common in Yuan drama and Ming fiction.
How to use it
Predicate or adverbial; neutral. Often 自言自语地说 / 一个人自言自语.
Example sentences
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- 他一边走一边自言自语，不知道在想什么。Tā yībiān zǒu yībiān zì yán zì yǔ, bù zhīdào zài xiǎng shénme.He walked along talking to himself; who knows what he was thinking.he while walk while self speak self talk, not know (progressive) think what
- 奶奶常常一个人在厨房里自言自语。Nǎinai chángcháng yī gè rén zài chúfáng lǐ zì yán zì yǔ.Grandma often talks to herself alone in the kitchen.grandma often one (measure) person at kitchen inside self speak self talk
More chengyu about speech & communication
- 说来话长shuō lái huà chángit's a long story
- 胡说八道hú shuō bā dàoto talk nonsense; rubbish
- 一言为定yī yán wéi dìngit's a deal; that's settled then
- 无话可说wú huà kě shuōto have nothing to say; speechless
- 七嘴八舌qī zuǐ bā shéeverybody talking at once; a babble of voices
- 开门见山kāi mén jiàn shānto get straight to the point
- 实话实说shí huà shí shuōto tell it like it is; frankly speaking
- 说到做到shuō dào zuò dàoto do what one says; to keep one's word