Meaning of 口语
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- colloquial speech
- spoken language
- vernacular language
- slander
- gossip
Measure word: 門|门
How to use 口语
口语 usually means spoken language as opposed to written language, and learners use it a lot when talking about their speaking skills. Example: 他的中文口语很好。(Tā de Zhōngwén kǒuyǔ hěn hǎo.) His spoken Chinese is very good.
口 (kǒu) is a mouth and 语 (yǔ) is language, so 口语 is language that comes out of the mouth. Picture an open mouth square 口 next to the word for speech.
Common mistake: Learners often say 说口语 to mean "speak Chinese," but natives usually say 说中文 or 练口语 (liàn kǒuyǔ, practice speaking). Also keep the tones straight: both syllables are third tone, so 口语 is pronounced kóuyǔ in speech.
口语 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
口 kǒu · mouth · 3 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
语 yǔ · words · 9 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Related words
Words that share a character with 口语.
| 门口 | ménkǒu | doorway; gate |
| 路口 | lùkǒu | crossing; intersection (of roads) |
| 外语 | wàiyǔ | foreign language |
| 汉语 | Hànyǔ | Chinese language |
| 英语 | Yīngyǔ | English (language) |
| 出口 | chūkǒu | an exit; to speak |
| 语言 | yǔyán | language |
| 入口 | rùkǒu | entrance; to import |
| 人口 | rénkǒu | population; people |
| 词语 | cíyǔ | word (general term including monosyllables through to short phrases); term (e.g. technical |
| 口袋 | kǒudai | pocket; bag; sack |
| 语音 | yǔyīn | speech sounds; pronunciation |
Questions about 口语
What does 口语 mean?
口语 (kǒuyǔ) means "colloquial speech; spoken language" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 口语?
口语 is made of 2 characters: 口 (3 strokes), 语 (9 strokes). That is 12 strokes in total.
Is 口语 an HSK word?
Yes. 口语 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 口语 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 口语 is written 口語.
What is the difference between 口语 and 书面语?
口语 is the spoken, everyday style of Chinese. 书面语 (shūmiànyǔ) is the written or formal style. A word can be described as 很口语 (very colloquial) if it sounds casual.
Does 口语 really mean gossip or slander?
That sense is listed in dictionaries but it is old and rare. In modern Chinese, people almost always use 口语 to mean spoken language. For gossip, say 闲话 (xiánhuà).