口是心非
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Chinese[edit]
mouth; (a measure word, for people, livestock or utensils) | be; yes; this | heart; mind | (be) not; wrong; blame (be) not; wrong; blame; Africa | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
trad. (口是心非) | 口 | 是 | 心 | 非 | |
simp. #(口是心非) | 口 | 是 | 心 | 非 | |
Literally: “mouth (says) yes, heart (says) no”. |
Pronunciation[edit]
Idiom[edit]
口是心非
- to say one thing but mean another; what one thinks is different from what one says; two-faced; duplicity
Usage notes[edit]
Not to be interpreted strictly literally ― often it is intended to mean “mouth says no, heart yes” instead. The opposite idiom 口非心是 exists, but is very rare and is used to emphasise that meaning.