开口

• Pinyin: kāi kǒu
• Hanzi breakdown: 开 = to open; 口 = pictograph of a mouth

Meaning

To open one's mouth; to speak up; to ask.

Refers to the act of speaking, especially when there's some hesitation or difficulty involved — asking for a favor, making a request, starting to speak after silence. Also used literally for opening one's mouth. Collocates with 说话 (speak), 请求 (request), 借钱 (borrow money), 难以 (hard to).

Examples

1. 他平时话不多，一开口说话却总能切中要害。 He usually doesn't talk much, but whenever he speaks, he always gets straight to the point.
2. 她想向父母借钱买房，却又不好意思开口。 She wants to borrow money from her parents to buy a house, but feels too embarrassed to ask.
3. 领导一直没给机会让我开口，会议就结束了。 The leader never gave me a chance to speak up, and the meeting ended.

Usage Guide

Context: conversation, requests, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 有什么困难尽管开口，别客气。(If you have any difficulties, just speak up — don't be shy.)
• 他一开口就知道是南方人。(As soon as he opens his mouth, you can tell he's from the South.)

Don't Say

• 我开口了窗户。(开口 is about speaking — for opening windows, use 打开)

Origin & History

开 (to open) + 口 (mouth). To open one's mouth — to speak.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal