半瓶水響叮噹 bàn píng shuǐ xiǎng dīng dāng

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. one who has a little knowledge likes to show off, but one who is truly knowledgeable is modest
  3. 3. lit. if you tap a half-empty bottle it makes a sound (idiom)

Characters

Character Meaning
半 bàn HSK 3
half; (after a number) and a half; semi-
瓶 píng HSK 3
bottle; classifier for wine and liquids; vase
水 shuǐ HSK 1
water; liquid; beverage
響 xiǎng
sound; to make a sound; to sound
叮 dīng HSK 6
to sting or bite (of mosquito, bee etc)
噹 dāng
to be; to act as; should