逆耳 nì'ěr

nì'ěr verb to be unpleasant to hear
Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
Notes: For example, in literary Chinese, 忠言逆耳 'honest advice, [although] unpleasant to the ear[, induces good conduct]', from Han Feizi's Wai Chu Shuo Zuo Shang (DCP 'Z137'; NCCED '逆耳')

Contained in

  • 忠言逆耳 honest advice, although unpleasant to the ear, induces good conduct
  • 逆耳之言 speech that grates on the ear; bitter truths; home truths (that one does not want to hear)

Word is mentioned most frequently in

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