HedgePig Posted November 3, 2009 at 03:09 PM Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 at 03:09 PM I came across the following sentence 你干吗整天嘴搁在身上？ It was translated as : Why do you always find faults with me? My question is what is the meaning of "嘴搁在身上" in this sentence? Is it just a way of saying to find fault? Regards HedgePig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HashiriKata Posted November 3, 2009 at 06:11 PM Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 at 06:11 PM It seems to be an unusual use. Could you give a bit more context to it? Some surrounding sentences, perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted November 3, 2009 at 07:14 PM Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 at 07:14 PM I've heard that before in a TV show - would have assumed it to mean something along the lines of complain about someone. Found another example which has enough context to give some idea of the meaning . . . 现在很多家长都在重视孩子的成长和教育，每天把嘴搁在孩子身上，好不分寸的进行种种评价... or 但由于中国树大招风，美国国会和媒体喜欢把嘴搁在中国身上。 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artem Posted November 3, 2009 at 07:43 PM Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 at 07:43 PM I understand it as nitpicking someone's or something's faults, but without more context I dunno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HashiriKata Posted November 3, 2009 at 08:30 PM Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 at 08:30 PM From roddy's examples, it seems to mean "to complain about someone/ something." What threw me off with the first example by the OP is the lack of an explicit object, which makes it sound like the subject is wearing his mouth on his body (), if you've never heard the expression before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HedgePig Posted November 4, 2009 at 12:28 AM Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 at 12:28 AM Thanks for the replies, everybody. I think it does mean nitpicking but the "wearing the mouth on the body" is what had me surprised. I couldn't find any reference to this expression. This example came from the book "Popular Chinese Expressions - Latest Edition" published by Sinolingua. It's used to explain the phrase "不是我说你" (pg 23) The dialogue, with the given translation, goes like this. A: 你干吗整天嘴搁在身上？ Why do you always find faults with me? B: 不是我说你, 你这一身毛病没个人说行吗？ You have so many problems (defects). Am I the only person who tells you this? The English translations generally seem a little awkward. The phrase "不是我说你" is itself translated as "busybody" which doesn't quite seem to make sense either. To me, it seems more like "I'm not the only one saying so" or "I'm only telling you what everyone is saying." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted November 4, 2009 at 02:11 AM Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 at 02:11 AM B: 不是我说你, 你这一身毛病没个人说行吗？ it's not I like blahblahing to you, but you have so many problems, there has to be someone to tell you this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pipas Posted November 4, 2009 at 12:31 PM Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 at 12:31 PM I liked this one: 你们女人总是把嘴搁在男人身上 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pipas Posted November 4, 2009 at 04:06 PM Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 at 04:06 PM A: 你干吗整天嘴搁在身上？ So, "把" and some possessive (pro)noun for 身 can be easily omitted here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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