kāi kǒu

开 口

Level:

NHSK 789－2 SW HSK 3 NPCR3 Elementary 1More

ReadWriteQuiz

1
v.open one's mouth; ask a favour (of somebody)
- méi děng wǒ kāi kǒu tā jiù qiǎng xiān tì wǒ shuō le
  没等我开口，他就抢先替我说了。
  Before I could speak, he said it for me first.
- zhí dào tā kāi kǒu shuō huà wǒ cái zhī dào tā bù shi yīng gé lán rén
  直到她开口说话我才知道她不是英格兰人。
  Until she spoke I hadn't realized she wasn't English.
- tā yī kāi kǒu jiù tāo tāo bù jué
  他一开口就滔滔不绝。
  When he started to speak, the words just spilled out.
synonym
qǐ chǐ启齿
antonym
zhù kǒu住口 bì kǒu闭口
2
v.put the first edge on a knife; sharpen the edge of a new blade
- zhǐ yào kāi kǒu zhè fèn gōng zuò jiù shì nǐ de
  只要开口，这份工作就是你的。
  The job is yours for the asking.
3
v.opening; aperture; shedding
- kāi kǒu jī gòu
  开口机构
  shedding mechanism

Separable word
"开" and "口" can be combined as one word, or be used separately with other elements inserted.
- 我开不了口跟他说。
  I can't open my mouth and tell him.
- 既然你都开了口，我就勉强答应了。
  Since you opened your mouth, I can agree.
- 整个会议期间，他没有开过一次口。
  He didn't speak even once throughout the meeting.

开口