fèihuà: 废话 - Nonsense, Useless Talk, "Duh"

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Summary: Learn the essential Chinese term 废话 (fèihuà), which translates to “nonsense,” “useless talk,” or the English exclamation “Duh!”. This page breaks down how to use `fèihuà` to dismiss obvious statements, express impatience with rambling, and cut to the chase in conversations. Understand its cultural context, see practical examples, and learn to distinguish it from similar words like `胡说 (húshuō)`. This is a must-know word for anyone wanting to sound more natural and direct in informal Chinese.

Pinyin (with tone marks): fèihuà

Part of Speech: Noun

HSK Level: HSK 5

Concise Definition: Superfluous, irrelevant, or obvious statements; nonsense.

In a Nutshell: `废话` is the perfect word for talk that adds no value. Think of it as a label for three types of speech: 1) The completely obvious (“The sky is blue.”), 2) Pointless rambling that isn't getting to the point, and 3) Irrelevant filler. It carries a strong, impatient tone and is used to say, “Cut the crap,” “You're wasting my time,” or simply, “No kidding.”

废 (fèi): This character means waste, useless, or abandoned. It's composed of 广 (guǎng), a radical for a “shelter” or “wide expanse,” and 发 (fā), meaning “to send out.” You can think of it as something that has been cast out of a place, and is now abandoned and useless.

话 (huà): This character means speech, talk, or words. It's made of the “speech” radical 言 (yán) on the left and “tongue” 舌 (shé) on the right. It vividly pictures words coming from the tongue.

Together, 废话 (fèihuà) literally means “waste words”—a direct and intuitive combination that perfectly captures its meaning.

`废话` reflects a very pragmatic side of Chinese communication. While Chinese culture is often known for indirectness to preserve 面子 (miànzi - “face”/social harmony), this doesn't apply in all situations. Among friends, family, or when efficiency is valued, directness is preferred. Calling out `废话` is a way to enforce conversational efficiency.

Comparison to Western Culture: In English, you might say “You don't say!”, “No shit, Sherlock,” “Tell me something I don't know,” or “Cut to the chase.” While these phrases match the sentiment, `废话` is unique because it's a single, powerful noun that labels the useless speech itself. You can point to a statement and say, “That is `废话`.” This act of labeling is more direct than the phrasal expressions common in English. It's less about being witty and more about a blunt dismissal of the words spoken.

`废话` is highly informal and very common in daily life. Its connotation is almost always negative and dismissive, though it can be used playfully between very close friends who understand each other's humor.

Don't use it in formal settings: Saying `废话` to your boss, a professor, an elder, or a new acquaintance is extremely rude. It implies their words are a waste of time. Reserve it for informal situations with peers and close friends.

胡说 (húshuō) - To talk nonsense, lie, or make things up. Used for factually incorrect statements, not just useless ones.

屁话 (pìhuà) - A much cruder and more vulgar version of `废话`. Literally “fart talk.” Use with extreme caution.

空话 (kōnghuà) - “Empty talk.” Refers to promises or grand statements with no substance or action behind them.

套话 (tàohuà) - “Formulasic speech,” “clichés,” or “platitudes.” Often used to describe bureaucratic or overly polite speech that lacks sincerity.

啰嗦 (luōsuo) - An adjective meaning “long-winded” or “wordy.” Describes the style of speaking or the person, whereas `废话` is the content of the speech.

说重点 (shuō zhòngdiǎn) - A common command given in response to `废话`, meaning “Get to the point.”

废话连篇 (fèihuà liánpiān) - A four-character idiom (chengyu) describing a long article or speech that is full of nonsense.

白说 (báishuō) - “To speak in vain.” Similar to `废话` in that the words had no effect, like talking to a wall.