信口开河 xìn kǒu kāi hé Talk nonsense

Explanation

信口开河是指说话漫无边际，没有根据，随口乱说。

To talk nonsense, without thinking or basis, and speak whatever comes to mind.

Origin Story

话说楚汉相争时，刘邦与项羽在灵壁大战，刘邦兵败，退守荥阳。项羽任命英布为当阳君，率领四十万大军驻扎在九江。刘邦派随何前去劝降英布。英布认为随何信口开河，但最终还是决定投降刘邦。刘邦为了稳住英布，设宴款待，并封他为九江侯。

huà shuō chǔ hàn xiāng zhēng shí, liú bāng yǔ xiàng yǔ zài líng bì dà zhàn, liú bāng bīng bài, tuì shǒu xíng yáng. xiàng yǔ rèn mìng yīng bù wèi dāng yáng jūn, shuài lǐng sì shí wàn dà jūn zhù zhā zài jiǔ jiāng. liú bāng pài suí hé qián qù quàn jiàng yīng bù. yīng bù rèn wéi suí hé xìn kǒu kāi hé, dàn zuì zhōng háishì juédìng tóu jiàng liú bāng. liú bāng wèi le wěn zhù yīng bù, shè yàn kuǎn dài, bìng fēng tā wèi jiǔ jiāng hóu

During the Chu-Han contention, Liu Bang and Xiang Yu fought a major battle at Lingbi, and Liu Bang was defeated and retreated to Xingyang. Xiang Yu appointed Ying Bu as Dangyang Jun and stationed 400,000 troops in Jiujiang. Liu Bang sent Sui He to persuade Ying Bu to surrender. Ying Bu thought Sui He was talking nonsense, but finally decided to surrender to Liu Bang. In order to stabilize Ying Bu, Liu Bang hosted a banquet and appointed him as the Marquis of Jiujiang.

Usage

常用作谓语、宾语、状语；形容说话不负责任，满口胡说。

cháng yòng zuò wèi yǔ, bīn yǔ, zhuàng yǔ; xiáoróng shuō huà bù fù zé rèn, mǎn kǒu hú shuō

Often used as a predicate, object, and adverbial modifier; describes irresponsible talk and nonsense.

Examples

• 他信口开河，说的都是些不着边际的话。

  tā xìn kǒu kāi hé, shuō de dōu shì xiē bù zhāo biān jì de huà

  He talked nonsense, saying things that were irrelevant.

• 会议上，他信口开河，说了不少不该说的话，弄得大家很尴尬。

  huì yì shang, tā xìn kǒu kāi hé, shuō le bù shǎo bù gāi shuō de huà, nòng de dà jiā hěn gān gà

  At the meeting, he talked nonsense and said a lot of things he shouldn't have, making everyone very embarrassed.

Related Idioms

• 胡言乱语

• 胡说八道

Opposite Idioms

• 言之凿凿

• 有理有据