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口頭禪

简口头禅 · 繁口頭禪

Mandarin · pinyin kǒu tóu chán

Zen saying repeated as cant
(fig.) catchphrase; mantra; favorite expression; stock phrase

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Characters in this entry

口: kǒu · mouth; open end; entrance, gate
頭: tóu · head; top; chief, first; boss
禪: Look up this written character
头: tóu · head; top; chief, first; boss
禅: chán · meditation, contemplation

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

3–2–2 · kou3 tou2 chan2

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

口頭禪 · find source passages ↗ · 口头禅 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

hau2 tau4 sim4

Cantonese word readings for 口頭禪. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

noun

(idiomatic) one's favourite expression; stock phrase; pet phrase

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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