嘴上抹石灰，白说嘴上抹石灰，白說嘴上抹石灰，白説

lime smeared on the mouth: speaks in vain (white)

Saying俗语俗語

Two-part saying歇后语歇後語 · Rarely used now

Meaning: Describes words that have no effect, so that saying them is the same as not saying them. Said with resignation or irritation.
Wordplay: 白 (bái) means both the white colour of the lime and 'in vain', so 白说 reads as 'speak white' and 'speak for nothing'.

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Simplified: 嘴上抹石灰，白说
Traditional (Taiwan): 嘴上抹石灰，白說
Traditional (Hong Kong): 嘴上抹石灰，白説
Pinyin: zuǐ shang mǒ shíhuī, bái shuō
Pinyin (Taiwan): zuǐ shàng mǒ shíhuī, bái shuō
Bopomofo: ㄗㄨㄟˇ ㄕㄤˋ ㄇㄛˇ ㄕˊ ㄏㄨㄟ，ㄅㄞˊ ㄕㄨㄛ

Written with HSK 7-9 vocabulary, at CEFR level C1.

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