Definition
顶嘴 (dǐng zuǐ) means 'to talk back' or 'to answer back defiantly,' usually in a disrespectful or argumentative context, such as a child challenging a parent or a subordinate challenging a superior. It is a separable verb (离合词): the verb 顶 and the noun 嘴 can split when adding duration, measure words, or objects, e.g., 顶了一次嘴 'talked back once', 顶了老师一句 'talked back to the teacher with one remark'. The person you talk back to is introduced with 跟.
v.o.
to talk backto answer back defiantlyto sass
Examples
- 顶嘴。Xiǎo háizi bú yào gēn fùmǔ dǐng zuǐ.Children shouldn't talk back to their parents.
- 顶嘴。Tā shuō de huà hǎoxiàng shì zài dǐng zuǐ.What he said sounded like talking back.
- 。Tā zuótiān gēn lǎobǎn dǐng le yí cì zuǐ.He talked back to his boss once yesterday.
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