守口如瓶 — “To keep a secret strictly”
守口如瓶 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to keep a secret strictly”. To be tight-lipped and not reveal confidential information. Literally, “guard mouth like a bottle”.
守口如瓶 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- 守shǒu
- 口kǒu
- 如rú
- 瓶píng
守口如瓶 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 守口如瓶
Origin and Story of 守口如瓶
During the Northern Song Dynasty, the young and promising Fu Bi was recommended by Fan Zhongyan and appointed by Emperor Renzong as the judge of Heyang.
Due to his outstanding political achievements, he was later promoted to prime minister. However, his views on reform clashed with Wang Anshi's, so he resigned from his post as prime minister and returned to his hometown to live in seclusion.
He never casually displayed his emotions (joy or anger), handled affairs fairly, and advocated "keeping one's mouth like a sealed bottle" (守口如瓶) and "guarding one's thoughts like a fortified city" (防意如城).
Idioms Related to 守口如瓶
Antonyms of 守口如瓶
More idioms starting with 守
- shǒu守xiān先dài待hòu后inherit the past and usher in the future
- shǒu守fēn分ān安cháng常Abide by duty, content with status quo
- shǒu守tǔ土yǒu有zé责responsible for safeguarding one's territory
- shǒu守rú如chǔ处nǚ女，，chū出rú如tuō脱tù兔Cautious then swift
- shǒu守wàng望xiāng相zhù助keep watch and help each other
- shǒu守zhū株dài待tù兔wait idly for luck or cling to old ways
- shǒu守zhū株yuán缘mù木futile efforts by unrealistic means
- shǒu守zhèng正bù不huí回Uphold integrity and never compromise
- shǒu守zhèng正bù不náo挠uphold integrity and remain unyielding
- shǒu守zhèng正bù不ráo桡uphold rectitude and not yield
- shǒu守zhèng正bù不yí移adhere to righteous principles
- shǒu守zhèng正bù不ē阿Uphold justice and be impartial
Questions about 守口如瓶
- What does 守口如瓶 mean?
- 守口如瓶 (shǒu kǒu rú píng) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to keep a secret strictly”.
- How do you pronounce 守口如瓶?
- 守口如瓶 is pronounced shǒu kǒu rú píng in Mandarin Chinese.
- What does 守口如瓶 literally mean?
- Literally, 守口如瓶 means “guard mouth like a bottle”. It is used to mean “to keep a secret strictly”.
- Where does 守口如瓶 come from?
- 守口如瓶 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
- What is the Chinese definition of 守口如瓶?
- 守口：紧闭着嘴不讲话。闭口不谈，象瓶口塞紧了一般。形容说话谨慎，严守秘密。