xìnkǒukāihé: 信口开河 - To Speak Irresponsibly, To Shoot Off One's Mouth

• Keywords: xìnkǒukāihé, xinkoukaihe, 信口开河, speak irresponsibly Chinese, shoot off one's mouth meaning, Chinese idiom for talking nonsense, making things up, baseless claims, Chinese chengyu, speak without thinking, empty promises
• Summary: Discover the meaning of the Chinese idiom (chengyu) 信口开河 (xìnkǒu kāihé), which translates to speaking irresponsibly or “shooting off one's mouth.” This page breaks down the characters, cultural significance, and practical usage of this term, which describes someone who makes things up, speaks without evidence, or makes empty promises. Learn how to use and recognize xìnkǒu kāihé to avoid misunderstandings and deepen your understanding of Chinese communication norms.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xìnkǒu kāihé
• Part of Speech: Idiom (Chengyu) / Verb Phrase
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To speak carelessly and irresponsibly, making statements that are baseless or fabricated.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine words flowing out of your mouth like a river bursting its banks—uncontrolled, unverified, and messy. That's the image behind 信口开河 (xìnkǒu kāihé). It's not just about talking a lot; it's about talking without thinking, making promises you can't keep, or stating “facts” that are completely made up. It carries a strong negative judgment, implying the speaker is unreliable and untrustworthy.

• 信 (xìn): To trust, to believe, or to let be. In this context, it means “to allow” or “to let (something happen) freely.”
• 口 (kǒu): Mouth.
• 开 (kāi): To open.
• 河 (hé): River.

The characters combine to create a powerful metaphor. 信口 (xìnkǒu) means “to let the mouth go” or “to trust the mouth” to say whatever it wants. 开河 (kāihé) means “to open a river.” Put together, 信口开河 (xìnkǒu kāihé) paints a picture of someone letting their mouth open up a river of words without any dam of thought or evidence to hold them back.

In Chinese culture, words are often seen as carrying significant weight. The traditional ideal of a well-cultivated person (君子, jūnzǐ) includes being thoughtful and deliberate in speech. Speaking rashly or making baseless claims is viewed not just as a mistake, but as a flaw in one's character and upbringing. 信口开河 is a direct condemnation of this flaw. A useful Western comparison is “to shoot from the hip” or “to talk out of your ass,” but with an important distinction. “Shooting from the hip” can sometimes imply a certain roguish confidence or spontaneity. 信口开河, however, is always negative and critical. It doesn't suggest spontaneity; it suggests irresponsibility, fabrication, and a lack of respect for the truth and for the listener. Using this term is a serious criticism of someone's reliability.

This idiom is common in both spoken and written Chinese. It's used to call someone out for lying, exaggerating, or making commitments they have no intention of honoring.

• In Personal Life: You might use it to complain about a friend who constantly makes up wild stories or promises to help but never does.
• In Business or Politics: It's frequently used in commentary to criticize officials or business leaders who make grand, empty promises to the public or shareholders. For example, a company promising revolutionary technology without any proof would be accused of 信口开河.
• On Social Media: It's a perfect term to call out someone spreading rumors or misinformation online.

The connotation is uniformly negative and accusatory. You are directly challenging the speaker's credibility.

• Example 1:
  • 他这个人就喜欢信口开河，说的话你千万别信。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhè ge rén jiù xǐhuān xìnkǒu kāihé, shuō de huà nǐ qiānwàn bié xìn.
  • English: This guy loves to shoot his mouth off; you absolutely must not believe a word he says.
  • Analysis: This is a direct character judgment. It describes 信口开河 as a habit or personality trait of the person.
• Example 2:
  • 在不了解情况之前，你最好不要信口开河。
  • Pinyin: Zài bù liǎojiě qíngkuàng zhīqián, nǐ zuìhǎo bùyào xìnkǒu kāihé.
  • English: Before you understand the situation, it's best you don't just talk nonsense.
  • Analysis: This is used as a piece of advice or a warning, telling someone to refrain from speaking irresponsibly.
• Example 3:
  • 老板向我们保证下个月会发奖金，我怕他又是在信口开河。
  • Pinyin: Lǎobǎn xiàng wǒmen bǎozhèng xià ge yuè huì fā jiǎngjīn, wǒ pà tā yòu shì zài xìnkǒu kāihé.
  • English: The boss promised us we'd get a bonus next month, but I'm afraid he's just making empty promises again.
  • Analysis: Here, the term is used to express skepticism about a promise, based on past experience with the speaker's unreliability.
• Example 4:
  • 他对这个项目一无所知，却在会议上信口开河，真是可笑。
  • Pinyin: Tā duì zhè ge xiàngmù yīwúsuǒzhī, què zài huìyì shàng xìnkǒu kāihé, zhēnshì kěxiào.
  • English: He knows nothing about this project, yet he was just making things up in the meeting. It's truly ridiculous.
  • Analysis: This example highlights the core meaning of speaking without a factual basis.
• Example 5:
  • 作为一名记者，报道新闻时绝不能信口开河。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi yī míng jìzhě, bàodào xīnwén shí jué bùnéng xìnkǒu kāihé.
  • English: As a journalist, you absolutely cannot be irresponsible with your words when reporting the news.
  • Analysis: This shows the term used in a professional context, emphasizing the importance of factual accuracy.
• Example 6:
  • 你别听他信口开河了，事情根本不是他说的那样。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bié tīng tā xìnkǒu kāihé le, shìqing gēnběn bùshì tā shuō de nàyàng.
  • English: Stop listening to him talk nonsense; the situation is not at all like he described.
  • Analysis: A direct refutation of what someone has said, labeling their words as 信口开河.
• Example 7:
  • 我当时只是信口开河，没想到他竟然当真了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ dāngshí zhǐshì xìnkǒu kāihé, méi xiǎngdào tā jìngrán dàngzhēn le.
  • English: I was just talking off the top of my head at the time, I didn't expect him to actually take it seriously.
  • Analysis: This is a self-critical use, where the speaker admits they spoke irresponsibly, often with unintended consequences.
• Example 8:
  • 这种信口开河的承诺，只会损害公司的信誉。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng xìnkǒu kāihé de chéngnuò, zhǐ huì sǔnhài gōngsī de xìnyù.
  • English: These kinds of irresponsible promises will only damage the company's reputation.
  • Analysis: The idiom is used here to modify a noun, “承诺” (chéngnuò - promise), to describe the nature of the promise itself.
• Example 9:
  • 他总是信口开河地夸耀自己的能力。
  • Pinyin: Tā zǒngshì xìnkǒu kāihé de kuāyào zìjǐ de nénglì.
  • English: He always irresponsibly boasts about his own abilities.
  • Analysis: This connects 信口开河 with bragging or exaggeration (夸耀), showing how they can overlap.
• Example 10:
  • 面对专家的提问，他开始信口开河，试图蒙混过关。
  • Pinyin: Miànduì zhuānjiā de tíwèn, tā kāishǐ xìnkǒu kāihé, shìtú ménghùn guòguān.
  • English: Faced with the expert's questions, he started making things up, trying to bluff his way through.
  • Analysis: This example clearly illustrates the act of fabricating information on the spot when put under pressure.

• Not Just “Talkative”: A common mistake for learners is to equate 信口开河 with being talkative or chatty. Someone can talk a lot without being irresponsible. 信口开河 specifically implies that what is being said is baseless, untrue, or a promise that won't be kept. The key is the *irresponsibility* and *lack of foundation*.
• False Friend: “To speak extemporaneously”: In English, speaking “off the cuff” or “extemporaneously” can be a skill, like a professor giving a brilliant lecture without notes. This is not 信口开河. The professor is drawing on deep knowledge. 信口开河 is when someone with no knowledge tries to fake it by making things up.
• Incorrect Usage Example:
  • `他很会说话，经常在大家面前信口开河，逗得我们哈哈大笑。` (Tā hěn huì shuōhuà, jīngcháng zài dàjiā miànqián xìnkǒu kāihé, dòu de wǒmen hāhā dàxiào.)
  • Why it's wrong: This sentence is contradictory. It says he's a good speaker and then uses a very negative idiom, 信口开河, to describe how he makes people laugh. While he might be telling jokes or tall tales, 信口开河 carries a heavy sense of irresponsibility that doesn't fit with lighthearted humor. A better term would be `讲笑话 (jiǎng xiàohuà)` (to tell jokes) or `开玩笑 (kāi wánxiào)` (to joke around).

• 胡说八道 (húshuō bādào) - A very common, colloquial synonym meaning “to talk utter nonsense” or “to spout gibberish.” It's less formal than 信口开河.
• 无稽之谈 (wújīzhītán) - A formal, literary synonym meaning “baseless talk” or “a groundless story.” Often used in writing to describe a rumor or theory.
• 夸大其词 (kuādà qící) - To exaggerate. This is related but different. Exaggeration takes a kernel of truth and blows it out of proportion. 信口开河 often involves complete fabrication with no truth at all.
• 吹牛 (chuīniú) - A colloquial term for “to boast,” “to brag,” or “to talk big.” Bragging often involves 信口开河 to make oneself sound better.
• 言之有物 (yán zhī yǒu wù) - An antonym. It means “to speak with substance” or “for one's words to have content.” This is the ideal that 信口开河 violates.
• 一诺千金 (yī nuò qiān jīn) - An antonym. “A single promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold.” This idiom stresses the importance of keeping one's word, the direct opposite of making the empty promises typical of 信口开河.
• 信誓旦旦 (xìnshì dàndàn) - To make a solemn vow or pledge. This is what someone might do, but if they then fail to follow through, they can be accused of having made their solemn vow 信口开河.