shíyán: 食言 - To Break a Promise, Go Back on One's Word

• Keywords: shí yán, 食言, break a promise in Chinese, go back on your word Chinese, how to say promise breaker in Chinese, what does shiyan mean, Chinese word for trustworthy, eat your words in Chinese, 信用, 承诺
• Summary: Learn the crucial Chinese verb 食言 (shíyán), which literally means “to eat words.” This page explains how to use 食言 (shíyán) to talk about breaking a promise or going back on your word in Chinese. Discover its cultural importance related to trust (信用) and “face,” and see practical examples for everyday conversation and business. We'll also clarify why it's a “false friend” to the English idiom “eat your words.”

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shí yán
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: N/A (but a high-frequency, essential idiom)
• Concise Definition: To fail to keep a promise or go back on what one has said.
• In a Nutshell: 食言 (shíyán) is a powerful and vivid verb that means to break a promise. Imagine your words are a physical object you've given to someone; to 食言 (shíyán) is to snatch them back and “eat” them, nullifying your commitment. It carries a strong negative connotation, implying untrustworthiness and a lack of integrity.

• 食 (shí): To eat. This character is a pictogram of a mouth over a container of food.
• 言 (yán): Word, speech, to say. This character depicts a mouth with a tongue sticking out, representing the act of speaking.
• How they combine: The literal meaning is “to eat one's words.” This creates a powerful image of someone consuming and thus destroying the very promise they made, making it disappear.

In Chinese culture, one's word is a direct reflection of one's character and reliability. The concept of 信用 (xìnyòng)—trustworthiness or credit—is paramount in both personal and professional relationships. To 食言 (shíyán) is to directly damage your own 信用 and cause you to lose “face” (丢面子, diū miànzi). This can be contrasted with some casual promises in Western culture. For example, saying “We should get coffee sometime!” is often understood as a polite expression of goodwill rather than a binding contract. In a Chinese context, while similar pleasantries exist, a direct promise (我答应你 - wǒ dāyìng nǐ) is taken much more seriously. To 食言 (shíyán) on such a promise is not just a minor letdown; it's a significant social transgression that signals you are not a reliable person (不可靠的人, bù kěkào de rén). The act of “eating” your words suggests a deep disrespect for the commitment you made and the person you made it to.

食言 (shíyán) is used widely in various situations, from casual conversations among friends to formal business negotiations. It is almost always negative and serves as a criticism or an accusation.

• In Conversation: Friends might use it to call each other out, sometimes playfully but often seriously. A parent might use it to teach a child about the importance of honesty.
• In Business: Accusing a partner of 食言 (shíyán) is a serious charge. It implies a breach of contract or understanding and can damage a business relationship irreparably. Companies strive to build a reputation for never breaking their word (从不食言, cóngbù shíyán).
• Self-Pledge: It's very common to use it in the negative to emphasize your own commitment, e.g., “我保证不食言” (Wǒ bǎozhèng bù shíyán - I guarantee I won't break my word).

• Example 1:
  • 你答应过要帮我的，可不能食言啊！
  • Pinyin: Nǐ dāyìngguò yào bāng wǒ de, kě bùnéng shíyán a!
  • English: You promised you would help me, you can't go back on your word!
  • Analysis: This is a common way to remind someone of their promise. The “可 (kě)” and “啊 (a)” add an emotional, pleading tone.
• Example 2:
  • 他因为屡次食言，已经没人相信他了。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi lǚcì shíyán, yǐjīng méi rén xiāngxìn tā le.
  • English: Because he repeatedly broke his promises, nobody believes him anymore.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows the direct consequence of 食言 (shíyán)—the loss of trust. 屡次 (lǚcì) means “repeatedly.”
• Example 3:
  • 我向你保证，我这次绝不食言。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiàng nǐ bǎozhèng, wǒ zhè cì jué bù shíyán.
  • English: I promise you, I will absolutely not break my word this time.
  • Analysis: A classic example of using the term to make a strong pledge. 绝不 (jué bù) means “absolutely not,” making the commitment very firm.
• Example 4:
  • 在商业合作中，最忌讳的就是食言。
  • Pinyin: Zài shāngyè hézuò zhōng, zuì jìhuì de jiùshì shíyán.
  • English: In business cooperation, the biggest taboo is breaking a promise.
  • Analysis: This highlights the term's use in a formal, business context. 忌讳 (jìhuì) means “taboo.”
• Example 5:
  • 你是不是食言了？我们说好七点见的。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shì bùshì shíyán le? Wǒmen shuō hǎo qī diǎn jiàn de.
  • English: Did you go back on your word? We agreed to meet at seven.
  • Analysis: A direct, accusatory question. It's used when you suspect someone has broken a prior agreement.
• Example 6:
  • 做人要讲信用，不能轻易食言。
  • Pinyin: Zuòrén yào jiǎng xìnyòng, bùnéng qīngyì shíyán.
  • English: As a person, you must have integrity and cannot easily break your promises.
  • Analysis: This sounds like a piece of wisdom or parental advice, linking 食言 (shíyán) directly to the core value of 信用 (xìnyòng), trustworthiness.
• Example 7:
  • 他是个信守承诺的人，从不食言。
  • Pinyin: Tā shìgè xìnshǒu chéngnuò de rén, cóngbù shíyán.
  • English: He is a man who keeps his promises and never goes back on his word.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses an antonymous concept, 信守承诺 (xìnshǒu chéngnuò), to describe someone who is the opposite of a person who would 食言 (shíyán).
• Example 8:
  • 如果你这次再食言，我们就分手吧。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ zhè cì zài shíyán, wǒmen jiù fēnshǒu ba.
  • English: If you break your promise again this time, let's just break up.
  • Analysis: Shows the severe personal consequences that can result from 食言 (shíyán) in a relationship.
• Example 9:
  • 对不起，我上次食言了，因为我突然有急事。
  • Pinyin: Duìbùqǐ, wǒ shàng cì shíyán le, yīnwèi wǒ túrán yǒu jíshì.
  • English: I'm sorry I broke my promise last time, it was because I suddenly had an emergency.
  • Analysis: An example of someone admitting to and apologizing for 食言 (shíyán), providing a reason.
• Example 10:
  • 君子一言，驷马难追，怎么能食言肥呢？
  • Pinyin: Jūnzǐ yī yán, sìmǎ nán zhuī, zěnme néng shíyán féi ne?
  • English: A gentleman's word is his bond (lit: one word, four horses can't chase it), how could you go back on your word?
  • Analysis: This uses a famous idiom to set up the question. 食言而肥 (shíyán'érféi) is a more formal, classical version of 食言 (shíyán), literally “to eat one's words and get fat,” implying one profits from their dishonesty. It's often shortened to just 食言 (shíyán).

The most critical mistake for English speakers is confusing 食言 (shíyán) with the English idiom “to eat your words.” They are false friends.

• 食言 (shíyán): To break a promise. It's about a lack of integrity.
  • Context: You promise to lend your friend money but then refuse. You have 食言 (shíyán).
• English “To eat your words”: To be forced to admit you were wrong about something you predicted. It's about being incorrect.
  • Context: You said your favorite team would definitely lose, but they won. You have to “eat your words.”

Incorrect Usage:

• Wrong: 比赛结果出来了，我输了，我得食言了。 (Bǐsài jiéguǒ chūláile, wǒ shūle, wǒ děi shíyán le.)
• Why it's wrong: This incorrectly uses 食言 (shíyán) to mean “admit I was wrong.” You didn't break a promise, you just made a bad prediction.
• Correct Chinese Equivalent: 比赛结果出来了，我输了，看来是我说错了 (kànlái shì wǒ shuō cuò le - “it seems I was wrong”) or 我被打脸了 (wǒ bèi dǎ liǎn le - “my face was slapped,” a popular slang for being proven wrong).

• 说话不算数 (shuō huà bù suàn shù) - A more colloquial and direct synonym for 食言 (shíyán), meaning “one's words don't count.”
• 出尔反尔 (chū ěr fǎn ěr) - A formal idiom (chengyu) describing someone who is inconsistent, promising one thing and doing another. It's a stronger and more literary version of 食言 (shíyán).
• 言而无信 (yán ér wú xìn) - An idiom meaning “to be untrustworthy in one's words.” It describes the character trait of a person who often 食言 (shíyán).
• 守信 (shǒu xìn) - A direct antonym. To keep one's word; to be trustworthy.
• 信用 (xìnyòng) - Trustworthiness, credibility, “credit.” This is the quality that is lost when someone 食言 (shíyán).
• 承诺 (chéngnuò) - (n./v.) A promise, commitment; to promise. This is what is broken when one 食言 (shíyán).
• 保证 (bǎozhèng) - (n./v.) A guarantee; to guarantee. A stronger type of promise.
• 一言为定 (yī yán wéi dìng) - An idiom used when making a promise, meaning “It's a deal!” or “That's settled!” It is the creation of a promise that could later be broken by 食言 (shíyán).