Definition
泣不成声 is a four-character idiom (成语) meaning 'to sob so hard that you can't speak or make a sound'. It describes extreme grief or sadness — someone is crying so intensely that their voice chokes off. Unlike the English gloss 'choke back sobs' (which implies suppressing tears), this idiom emphasizes that the person has completely lost the ability to speak because of crying. Use it in emotional, literary, or dramatic contexts.
f.e.
to weep bitterlysobbing so hard that one cannot utter a sound
Examples
- ，泣不成声，。Tīng dào zhège èhào, tā qì bú, yí jù huà yě shuō bù chūlái.Upon hearing this terrible news, she sobbed so hard she couldn't say a word.
- ，泣不成声。Diànyǐng jiéwěi tài gǎnrén le, guānzhòng men qì bú.The ending of the movie was so moving that the audience was sobbing uncontrollably.
- 泣不成声，。Tā zài mǔqīn de mù qián qì bú, huíyì zhe guòqù de diǎndiǎn dīdī.He wept bitterly at his mother's grave, recalling bits and pieces of the past.
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