# 冷言冷语

lěng yán lěng yǔ

Make cold, sarcastic remarks

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Cold words and cold speech

**Traditional Chinese:** 冷言冷語

**Register:** Standard · expressive

[People & connection](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/relationships)

## When to use it

Describe dismissive or cutting comments.

Calm disagreement is not necessarily sarcasm.

## Understanding the expression

Coldness in speech suggests a lack of warmth and a wish to distance or discourage. The expression describes sarcastic, dismissive remarks rather than an openly heated outburst. Someone may make a cutting comment when another person seeks support. The harm can lie in tone as well as wording. A restrained factual correction is different; the phrase fits when speech communicates contempt or deliberate discouragement rather than respectful disagreement.

## Examples

她求助时，听到的却是冷言冷语。

### Traditional Chinese

她求助時，聽到的卻是冷言冷語。

tā qiú zhù shí ， tīng dào de què shì lěng yán lěng yǔ 。

When she asked for help, she received only cold, sarcastic remarks.

别用冷言冷语打击新人。

### Traditional Chinese

別用冷言冷語打擊新人。

bié yòng lěng yán lěng yǔ dǎ jī xīn rén 。

Do not discourage newcomers with cutting comments.

他受不了同事的冷言冷语。

### Traditional Chinese

他受不了同事的冷言冷語。

tā shòu bù liǎo tóng shì de lěng yán lěng yǔ 。

He could not bear his colleagues’ sarcastic remarks.

她没有冷言冷语，而是认真解释。

### Traditional Chinese

她沒有冷言冷語，而是認真解釋。

tā méi yǒu lěng yán lěng yǔ ， ér shì rèn zhēn jiě shì 。

She explained sincerely instead of making cutting remarks.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E5%86%B7%E8%A8%80%E5%86%B7%E8%AA%9E)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=1003&webMd=1&la=0)

## Keep exploring

- [冷眼旁观 lěng yǎn páng guān Watch from the sidelines with detachment ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/leng-yan-pang-guan)

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- [理直气壮 lǐ zhí qì zhuàng Speak confidently because one's position is justified ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/li-zhi-qi-zhuang)

- [梁上君子 liáng shàng jūn zǐ A thief, referred to humorously ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/liang-shang-jun-zi)

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