察言观色
- Literal
- to examine the words and watch the color of the face
- Figurative
- To read what someone says and the look on their face, gauge what they think, and act accordingly; it can sound like social skill or like currying favor.
Where does 察言观色 come from?
It appears in the 《论语》. Zizhang asks Confucius what 达 — real accomplishment — is, and the master starts by setting it apart from 闻, mere reputation. The man who truly gets there, he answers, is upright and loves what is right, and “察言而观色，虑以下人”: he weighs what he is told, watches the other person's expression, and takes care to place himself below them. There the phrase names a virtue, attentiveness to others. Over the centuries it turned more practical and sometimes less noble, depending on who uses it and why.
Source (出处): 《论语·颜渊》
How is 察言观色 used? Two examples
- 他很会察言观色，一看老板的脸色就知道该说什么。
He's very good at reading people; one look at the boss's face and he knows what to say.
- 谈生意的时候，别只顾着说，也要察言观色。
When you're talking business, don't just talk — watch how the other side reacts.
In Wanyu, all 400 chengyu have audio on every sentence, and you can save them to your decks and review them with spaced repetition. Free.
