三寸不烂之舌

Traditional form:

三寸不爛之舌

Pinyin (reading):

sāncùnbùlànzhīshé

Definitions:

• to have a silver tongue
• to have the gift of the gab

Characters:

• 三 - three
• 寸 - inch; small, tiny
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 烂 - overcooked, overripe; rotten, spoiled
• 之 - marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; to go to
• 舌 - tongue; bell clapper

Traditional characters:

• 三 - three
• 寸 - inch; small, tiny
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 爛 - overcooked, overripe; rotten, spoiled
• 之 - marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; to go to
• 舌 - tongue; bell clapper