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口頭語

简口头语 · 繁口頭語

Mandarin · pinyin kǒu tóu yǔ

pet phrase
regularly used expression
manner of speaking

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Characters in this entry

口: kǒu · mouth; open end; entrance, gate
頭: tóu · head; top; chief, first; boss
語: Look up this written character
头: tóu · head; top; chief, first; boss
语: yǔ · language, words; saying, expression

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

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Mandarin tones

3–2–3 · kou3 tou2 yu3

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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.

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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

pet phrase; habitual turn of phrase; regularly used expression

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

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