口不择言 Kǒu bù zé yán speak without thinking

Explanation

指说话不加考虑，不注意措辞。通常指在情绪激动或情急之下说出的不当言辞。

It refers to speaking without considering or paying attention to one's words. It usually refers to inappropriate words spoken under emotional excitement or in a hurry.

Origin Story

话说三国时期，诸葛亮七擒孟获，用计谋和策略平定南蛮，建立了蜀汉的稳固统治。一天，诸葛亮正在帐中批阅奏折，忽闻帐外喧闹不止，原来是几名蜀军士兵因琐事争吵，声音越来越大，甚至互相辱骂，诸葛亮眉头紧锁，他放下手中的奏折，走出帐外，制止了士兵们的争吵。然而，那些士兵依然情绪激动，争执不下，你一言我一语，口不择言，满口脏话。诸葛亮见状，叹了口气，对士兵们说道：“你们如此争吵，不仅有损军纪，更重要的是，口不择言，会造成误会，甚至导致灾祸。战场上，一不小心，就会因为语言上的冲突而造成不必要的损失。记住，控制情绪，谨慎言辞，才能避免不必要的麻烦。”诸葛亮语重心长地教训了士兵们，士兵们也意识到自己的错误，纷纷向诸葛亮道歉，并保证以后不再口不择言。从此，蜀军军纪更加严明，大家也更加注重言辞的规范，避免不必要的冲突和误解。

huà shuō sānguó shíqí, zhūgě liàng qī qín mèng huò, yòng jìmou hé cèlüè píngdìng nánmán, jiànlì le shǔhàn de wěngù tǒngzhì. yī tiān, zhūgě liàng zhèng zài zhàng zhōng pīyuè zòuzhé, hū wén zhàng wài xuānnào bùzhǐ, yuánlái shì jǐ míng shǔjūn shìbīng yīn suǒshì zhēng chǎo, shēngyīn yuè lái yuè dà, shènzhì hùxiāng rǔmà, zhūgě liàng méitóu jǐnsuǒ, tā fàngxià shǒu zhōng de zòuzhé, zǒu chū zhàng wài, zhìzhǐ le shìbīng men de zhēng chǎo. rán'ér, nàxiē shìbīng yīrán qíngxù jīdòng, zhēngzhí bù xià, nǐ yīyán wǒ yīyǔ, kǒu bù zé yán, mǎnkǒu zānghuà. zhūgě liàng jiàn zhàng, tàn le kǒuxī, duì shìbīng men shuōdào: “nǐmen rúcǐ zhēng chǎo, bù jǐn yǒusǔn jūn jì, gèng shì zhòngyào de shì, kǒu bù zé yán, huì zàochéng wùhuì, shènzhì dǎozhì zāihòu. zhànchǎng shàng, yī bù xiǎoxīn, jiù huì yīnwèi yǔyán shàng de chōngtū ér zàochéng bù bìyào de sǔnshī. jì zhù, kòngzhì qíngxù, jǐnshèn yáncí, cáinéng bìmiǎn bù bìyào de máfan.” zhūgě liàng yǔzhòng xīncháng de jiàoxùn le shìbīng men, shìbīng men yě yìshí dào zìjǐ de cuòwù, fēnfēn xiàng zhūgě liàng dàoqiàn, bìng bǎozhèng yǐhòu bù zài kǒu bù zé yán. cóng cǐ, shǔjūn jūnjì gèngjiā yánmíng, dàjiā yě gèngjiā zhùzhòng yáncí de guīfàn, bìmiǎn bù bìyào de chōngtū hé wùjiě.

In ancient China, during the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang, a brilliant strategist, once found his soldiers arguing fiercely among themselves. They were so caught up in their anger that they didn't choose their words carefully, using harsh language and insults. Seeing this, Zhuge Liang sighed and explained to them how dangerous and harmful it could be to speak without thinking and without choosing words carefully, especially in times of war where such words could lead to severe conflict and casualties. Following this lesson, the soldiers learned to think before they spoke and were reminded of the importance of cautious language.

Usage

多用于批评人说话不谨慎，不注意场合。

duō yòng yú pīpíng rén shuō huà bù jǐnshèn, bù zhùyì chǎnghé.

It is often used to criticize someone for not being careful with their words and not paying attention to the occasion.

Examples

• 他一着急就口不择言，说了很多不该说的话。

  tā yī zhāojí jiù kǒu bù zé yán, shuō le hěn duō bù gāi shuō de huà.

  When he got anxious, he spoke without thinking and said many things he shouldn't have.

• 辩论会上，他口不择言，激怒了对方。

  biànlùn huì shàng, tā kǒu bù zé yán, jīnù le duìfāng.

  At the debate, he spoke without thinking, infuriating the other side.

Related Idioms

• 口无遮拦

• 信口开河

Opposite Idioms

• 妙语连珠

• 巧舌如簧