逆耳之言

Traditional form:

逆耳之言

Pinyin (reading):

nì'ěrzhīyán

Definitions:

• speech that grates on the ear (idiom); bitter truths
• home truths (that one does not want to hear)

Characters:

• 逆 - to disobey, to rebel; traitor, rebel
• 耳 - ear; to hear, to hear of; handle
• 之 - marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; to go to
• 言 - words, speech; to speak, to say

Traditional characters:

• 逆 - to disobey, to rebel; traitor, rebel
• 耳 - ear; to hear, to hear of; handle
• 之 - marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; to go to
• 言 - words, speech; to speak, to say