見人講人話,見鬼講鬼話

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Chinese

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to see; to meet; to appear
to see; to meet; to appear; to interview
 
man; person; people
to talk; speech; to speak
to talk; speech; to speak; to tell; to explain
 
human speech; sensible talk
to see; to meet; to appear
to see; to meet; to appear; to interview
 
ghost; sly; crafty
to talk; speech; to speak
to talk; speech; to speak; to tell; to explain
 
lie; baloney; crazy talk
trad. (見人講人話,見鬼講鬼話) 人話 鬼話
simp. (见人讲人话,见鬼讲鬼话) 人话 鬼话
Literally: “speaking the language of humans when seeing a human, and speaking the language of devils when seeing a devil”.

Pronunciation

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  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: jiàn rén jiǎng rénhuà, jiàn guǐ jiǎng guǐhuà [Phonetic: jiànrénjiǎngrénhuà,jiànguíjiángguǐhuà]
      • Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄢˋ ㄖㄣˊ ㄐㄧㄤˇ ㄖㄣˊ ㄏㄨㄚˋ , ㄐㄧㄢˋ ㄍㄨㄟˇ ㄐㄧㄤˇ ㄍㄨㄟˇ ㄏㄨㄚˋ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: jiàn rén jiǎng rénhuà, jiàn guěi jiǎng guěihuà
      • Wade–Giles: chien4 jên2 chiang3 jên2-hua4, chien4 kuei3 chiang3 kuei3-hua4
      • Yale: jyàn rén jyǎng rén-hwà-, jyàn gwěi jyǎng gwěi-hwà
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jiann ren jeang renhuah, jiann goei jeang goeihuah
      • Palladius: цзянь жэнь цзян жэньхуа, цзянь гуй цзян гуйхуа (czjanʹ žɛnʹ czjan žɛnʹxua, czjanʹ guj czjan gujxua)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹ ʐən³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵ xu̯ä⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹ ku̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ku̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯ä⁵¹/
  • Cantonese
    • (Standard Cantonese, GuangzhouHong Kong)+
      • Jyutping: gin3 jan4 gong2 jan4 waa6-2, gin3 gwai2 gong2 gwai2 waa6-2
      • Yale: gin yàhn góng yàhn wá, gin gwái góng gwái wá
      • Cantonese Pinyin: gin3 jan4 gong2 jan4 waa6-2, gin3 gwai2 gong2 gwai2 waa6-2
      • Guangdong Romanization: gin3 yen4 gong2 yen4 wa6-2, gin3 guei2 gong2 guei2 wa6-2
      • Sinological IPA (key): /kiːn³³ jɐn²¹ kɔːŋ³⁵ jɐn²¹ waː²²⁻³⁵ kiːn³³ kʷɐi̯³⁵ kɔːŋ³⁵ kʷɐi̯³⁵ waː²²⁻³⁵/

Proverb

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見人講人話,見鬼講鬼話

  1. (figurative) to be flexible and know what to say in different situations and to different people; (derogatory) to be crafty and two-faced

Synonyms

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