滔滔不绝

• Pinyin: tāo tāo bù jué
• Hanzi breakdown: 滔 = 氵(water) + 舀 (to scoop); 不绝 = never stopping

Meaning

To talk incessantly; to go on and on; eloquent and unstoppable.

An idiom describing someone speaking continuously without pause, like an endless flow of water. Can be positive (eloquent) or negative (long-winded) depending on context. Often used for speeches, lectures, or talkative people.

Examples

1. 他一谈起自己的创业经历就滔滔不绝，两个小时都停不下来。 Whenever he talks about his entrepreneurial journey, he goes on and on — he can't stop for two hours.
2. 那位教授讲课滔滔不绝，旁征博引，学生们都听得入迷了。 That professor lectures eloquently, citing extensively, and the students are all captivated.
3. 她滔滔不绝地抱怨着工作上的种种不顺，我只能默默听着。 She complained endlessly about all the troubles at work while I could only listen in silence.

Usage Guide

Context: describing speech, lectures, conversations

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 他演讲时滔滔不绝，非常精彩。(His speech flowed eloquently and was brilliant.)
• 她滔滔不绝地说了一个小时。(She talked non-stop for an hour.)

Don't Say

• 用来形容安静内向的人 (Don't use this for quiet introverts — it's specifically for talkative, articulate speakers)

Origin & History

滔滔 describes rushing water, 不绝 means without stopping — like words flowing endlessly like a river.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal