一瓶子不響，半瓶子晃蕩 yī píng zi bù xiǎng ， bàn píng zi huàng dang

fig. empty vessels make the most noise

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. fig. empty vessels make the most noise
  2. 2. lit. a full bottle makes no sound; a half-filled bottle sloshes (idiom)

Characters

Character Meaning
一 yī HSK 1
one; 1; single
瓶 píng HSK 3
bottle; classifier for wine and liquids; vase
子 zi HSK 1
(noun suffix); son; child
不 bù HSK 1
not; no; (negative prefix)
響 xiǎng
sound; to make a sound; to sound
半 bàn HSK 3
half; (after a number) and a half; semi-
瓶 píng HSK 3
bottle; classifier for wine and liquids; vase
子 zi HSK 1
(noun suffix); son; child
晃 huàng HSK 6
to shake; to sway; to wander about
蕩 dang
to move; to shake; to wash