lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu: 朗朗上口 - Catchy, Easy to Recite

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• Summary: “Lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu” (朗朗上口) is a popular Chinese idiom used to describe words, phrases, or lyrics that are incredibly catchy, rhythmic, and easy to recite. It’s the quality that makes a slogan memorable, a poem flow beautifully, or a song easy to sing along to. If you've ever had a jingle stuck in your head, you understand the feeling of something that is “lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu.” This page will break down its meaning, cultural importance, and how you can use it to sound more like a native speaker.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu
• Part of Speech: Idiom (Chengyu); Adjective
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: Describes language that is smooth, rhythmic, and easy to read aloud or recite from memory.
• In a Nutshell: “Lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu” is all about the sound and flow of language. It's that “earworm” quality. Think of a classic nursery rhyme, a clever advertising slogan, or a pop song chorus that you can't help but sing. The words just seem to roll off the tongue effortlessly. It’s a high compliment for any piece of writing, from ancient poetry to modern ad copy.

• 朗 (lǎng): Bright, clear, resonant. Imagine a clear, sunny day or someone speaking with a clear, loud voice.
• 朗 (lǎng): This character is repeated for emphasis, creating the feeling of “very clear” or “very resonant and smooth.”
• 上 (shàng): Up, on, to go onto. In this context, it means something easily comes “onto” or “to” something else.
• 口 (kǒu): Mouth.

The characters combine to create a wonderfully vivid image: words that are so clear and resonant (`朗朗`) that they effortlessly go “onto the mouth” (`上口`) to be spoken. It's a perfect description of language that is a pleasure to say aloud.

In Chinese culture, there's a deep-rooted appreciation for the aesthetics of language. For centuries, education involved the memorization and recitation of vast amounts of classical poetry and prose. A text that was lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu was not only considered well-crafted but was also easier for scholars and students to learn and pass down through generations. The sound and rhythm of the words were often seen as just as important as their literal meaning. This can be compared to the Western appreciation for “catchy” advertising jingles, but its scope in Chinese is much broader. While a Westerner might call a McDonald's jingle “catchy,” a Chinese person could use lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu to praise a classic Tang dynasty poem, a powerful political slogan, or even a well-written paragraph in a business report. It reflects a cultural value for eloquence, rhythm, and the memorability of spoken language in all facets of life, from high art to commerce.

This is a very common and useful idiom that you will hear in many contexts. It is almost always used as a compliment.

• Advertising and Marketing: Slogans and jingles are specifically designed to be lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu to stick in the consumer's mind.
• Music and Media: A music critic might praise a song's lyrics for being lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu, meaning they are easy for fans to sing along to.
• Literature and Education: A teacher might praise a student's writing or a famous author's prose for its beautiful flow and readability.
• Speeches and Public Address: Effective public speakers often use phrases that are lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu to make their key points more powerful and memorable.

The term is generally neutral in formality and can be used in casual conversation as well as in more formal written reviews.

• Example 1:
  • 这家公司的广告语写得真好，非常朗朗上口。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī de guǎnggàoyǔ xiě de zhēn hǎo, fēicháng lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu.
  • English: This company's advertising slogan is really well-written; it's very catchy.
  • Analysis: A classic example of using the term to describe marketing copy. It's memorable and easy to repeat.
• Example 2:
  • 这首儿歌的歌词简单，而且朗朗上口，孩子们一学就会。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shǒuérgē de gēcí jiǎndān, érqiě lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu, háizimen yī xué jiù huì.
  • English: The lyrics of this children's song are simple and catchy, so the kids can learn it right away.
  • Analysis: This highlights how the quality of being `lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu` aids in learning and memorization, especially for children.
• Example 3:
  • 李白的诗之所以流传千古，一个重要原因就是朗朗上口。
  • Pinyin: Lǐ Bái de shī zhī suǒyǐ liúchuán qiāngǔ, yīgè zhòngyào yuányīn jiùshì lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu.
  • English: One important reason why Li Bai's poems have been passed down for centuries is that they are so easy and pleasing to recite.
  • Analysis: This shows the term's application to classic, high-culture literature.
• Example 4:
  • 他的演讲稿充满了朗朗上口的排比句，很有感染力。
  • Pinyin: Tā de yǎnjiǎnggǎo chōngmǎnle lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu de páibǐjù, hěn yǒu gǎnrǎnlì.
  • English: His speech was full of catchy parallel sentences and was very persuasive.
  • Analysis: This connects the concept to rhetorical devices that create rhythm and flow in a speech.
• Example 5:
  • 我们需要一个朗朗上口的团队口号来激励大家。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào yīgè lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu de tuánduì kǒuhào lái jīlì dàjiā.
  • English: We need a catchy team slogan to motivate everyone.
  • Analysis: A common use case in a business or team environment.
• Example 6:
  • 虽然这篇文章的道理很深，但作者写得一点也不枯燥，读起来朗朗上口。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán zhè piān wénzhāng de dàolǐ hěn shēn, dàn zuòzhě xiě de yīdiǎn yě bù kūzào, dú qǐlái lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu.
  • English: Although the concepts in this article are profound, the author's writing isn't dry at all; it reads very smoothly.
  • Analysis: This shows that even complex topics can be presented in a way that is `lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu`.
• Example 7:
  • 这本小说的对话写得很自然，朗朗上口，就像真的人在说话一样。
  • Pinyin: Zhè běn xiǎoshuō de duìhuà xiě de hěn zìrán, lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu, jiù xiàng zhēn de rén zài shuōhuà yīyàng.
  • English: The dialogue in this novel is written very naturally and flows well, just like how real people talk.
  • Analysis: Here, it's used to praise the natural, rhythmic quality of dialogue in fiction.
• Example 8:
  • “安全第一，预防为主”这个标语真是朗朗上口，让人印象深刻。
  • Pinyin: “Ānquán dì yī, yùfáng wéi zhǔ” zhège biāoyǔ zhēnshi lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu, ràng rén yìnxiàng shēnkè.
  • English: The slogan “Safety first, prevention is key” is really catchy and memorable.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates how public safety slogans and propaganda are designed to be easily remembered.
• Example 9:
  • 要想让政策深入人心，宣传语就必须朗朗上口，通俗易懂。
  • Pinyin: Yào xiǎng ràng zhèngcè shēnrù rénxīn, xuānchuányǔ jiù bìxū lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu, tōngsú yìdǒng.
  • English: If you want a policy to win public support, the promotional slogans must be catchy and easy to understand.
  • Analysis: This example pairs `lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu` with its frequent partner, `通俗易懂 (tōngsú yìdǒng)`, meaning “easy to understand.”
• Example 10:
  • 这个名字怎么样？我觉得挺朗朗上口的，还好记。
  • Pinyin: Zhège míngzì zěnmeyàng? Wǒ juédé tǐng lǎnglǎng shàngkǒu de, hái hǎo jì.
  • English: What do you think of this name? I think it rolls off the tongue and is easy to remember