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直言不諱

简直言不讳 · 繁直言不諱

Mandarin · pinyin zhí yán bù huì

to speak bluntly (idiom)
not to mince words

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Characters in this entry

直: zhí · straight, erect, vertical
言: yán · words, speech; speak, say; Kangxi radical 149
不: bù · no, not; un-; negative prefix
諱: Look up this written character
讳: huì · conceal; shun; regard as taboo

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

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Mandarin tones

2–2–4–4 · zhi2 yan2 bu4 hui4

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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.

直言不諱 · find source passages ↗ · 直言不讳 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

zik6 jin4 bat1 wai5

Cantonese word readings for 直言不諱. 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.

phrase

(idiomatic) to call a spade a spade; to speak without reservation; not to mince one's words

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

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