day 180talk, thought and decisions

unit 24 · reason and argument

talk, thought and decisions

Describe how people speak, keep quiet, hesitate and decide, using idioms, and say “sometimes A, sometimes B” with 时A时B (时好时坏).

today’s words

各抒己见 gèshūjǐjiàn · everyone airs their views
见仁见智 jiànrénjiànzhì · opinions differ
集思广益 jísīguǎngyì · to pool ideas
求同存异 qiútóngcúnyì · to agree to differ
针锋相对 zhēnfēngxiāngduì · tit for tat, point against point
侃侃而谈 kǎnkǎn'értán · to speak with ease and confidence
夸夸其谈 kuākuāqítán · to talk big, prattle
出口成章 chūkǒuchéngzhāng · eloquent, every word polished
绘声绘色 huìshēnghuìsè · vivid, lively (in telling)
有声有色 yǒushēngyǒusè · vivid, full of life
头头是道 tóutóushìdào · clear and logical (in speech)
实话实说 shíhuàshíshuō · to tell it straight
脱口而出 tuōkǒu'érchū · to blurt out
异口同声 yìkǒutóngshēng · with one voice
交头接耳 jiāotóujiē'ěr · to whisper to each other
指手画脚 zhǐshǒuhuàjiǎo · to gesticulate; to boss people about
一言不发 yīyánbùfā · to not say a word
一声不吭 yīshēngbùkēng · to keep silent
鸦雀无声 yāquèwúshēng · total silence
抑扬顿挫 yìyángdùncuò · with rising and falling tones (of speech)
斩钉截铁 zhǎndīngjiétiě · firm and decisive
当机立断 dāngjīlìduàn · to decide on the spot
举棋不定 jǔqíbùdìng · to waver, can’t make up one’s mind
犹豫不决 yóuyùbùjué · hesitant, undecided
思前想后 sīqiánxiǎnghòu · to think it over from every angle
胡思乱想 húsīluànxiǎng · to let one’s imagination run wild
异想天开 yìxiǎngtiānkāi · wildly fanciful
恍然大悟 huǎngrándàwù · to suddenly see the light
灵机一动 língjīyīdòng · to have a sudden inspiration
急中生智 jízhōngshēngzhì · quick-witted in an emergency
胸有成竹 xiōngyǒuchéngzhú · to have a well-thought-out plan
一目了然 yīmùliǎorán · clear at a glance
显而易见 xiǎn'éryìjiàn · obvious
可想而知 kěxiǎng'érzhī · one can imagine

sentences

他的状态时好时坏。 · His form comes and goes.
会上大家各抒己见。 · At the meeting everyone had their say.
他讲起道理来头头是道。 · When he explains something, every point makes sense.
别犹豫不决了，当机立断吧。 · Stop dithering: make up your mind now.
老师一进来，教室里鸦雀无声。 · When the teacher came in, the classroom fell silent.