# 哑口无言

yǎ kǒu wú yán

Be left unable to reply

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** The mouth is mute and has no words

**Traditional Chinese:** 啞口無言

**Register:** Standard · expressive

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

## When to use it

Describe speechlessness from surprise or a decisive challenge.

May be shock, not an admission of guilt.

## Understanding the expression

The person suddenly has no reply available. A revealing fact, a sharp question, or an unexpected event can produce this silence. The expression often suggests that an argument has been answered decisively, but speechlessness does not prove agreement or guilt. Shock, distress, or the need to think can have the same outward result. The surrounding sentence should explain what stopped the response instead of treating silence as unquestionable evidence.

## Examples

证据摆在面前，他哑口无言。

### Traditional Chinese

證據擺在面前，他啞口無言。

zhèng jù bǎi zài miàn qián ， tā yǎ kǒu wú yán 。

Faced with the evidence, he had no reply.

她突然道歉，让我哑口无言。

### Traditional Chinese

她突然道歉，讓我啞口無言。

tā tū rán dào qiàn ， ràng wǒ yǎ kǒu wú yán 。

Her unexpected apology left me speechless.

孩子的问题使大人哑口无言。

### Traditional Chinese

孩子的問題使大人啞口無言。

hái zi de wèn tí shǐ dà rén yǎ kǒu wú yán 。

The child’s question left the adults unable to answer.

他听到噩耗，顿时哑口无言。

### Traditional Chinese

他聽到噩耗，頓時啞口無言。

tā tīng dào è hào ， dùn shí yǎ kǒu wú yán 。

The terrible news left him immediately speechless.

## 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%95%9E%E5%8F%A3%E7%84%A1%E8%A8%80)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=894&webMd=1&la=0)

## Keep exploring

- [鸦雀无声 yā què wú shēng Completely silent ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/ya-que-wu-sheng)

- [言不由衷 yán bù yóu zhōng Say what one does not sincerely mean ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/yan-bu-you-zhong)

- [言而有信 yán ér yǒu xìn Keep your word ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/yan-er-you-xin)

- [言行一致 yán xíng yī zhì Match words with actions ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/yan-xing-yi-zhi)

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