嘴 (zuǐ)

嘴 means mouth. It refers to the physical mouth including the lips, and appears in many idiomatic expressions about speaking, eating, and character. It is one of the body part words that also has figurative uses in everyday speech.

Meanings

[noun] Mouth; lips.
[noun] Mouth as in beak, spout, or any opening shaped like a mouth.

Example Sentences

他嘴里含着糖。 Tā zuǐ lǐ hán zhe táng. He has candy in his mouth.

嘴甜的人很受欢迎。 Zuǐ tián de rén hěn shòu huānyíng. People who speak sweetly are very popular.

请你闭上嘴。 Qǐng nǐ bì shàng zuǐ. Please close your mouth (be quiet).

他嘴上说不在乎，其实很难过。 Tā zuǐ shàng shuō bù zàihu, qíshí hěn nánguò. He says with his mouth that he does not care, but actually he is very upset.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
嘴甜	sweet-mouthed; flattering
嘴巴	mouth (informal)
闭嘴	shut up; close your mouth
嘴硬	stubborn in speech
开口 / 张嘴	to open one's mouth

Memory Hook

Picture a wide-open 嘴 with teeth showing. The character has mouth radical (口) hidden inside. Whenever you want to eat, speak, or protest, your 嘴 is the gateway.