"Shou kou ru ping" literally means keeping one's mouth stoppered like the mouth of a bottle. It describes someone who speaks with extreme caution, strictly guards secrets, and never lets anything slip. This idiom comes from Zhou Mi's Xu Ji Za Shi (Miscellaneous Notes from the Guixin Period), sequel, volume one, in the Song Dynasty: "Lord Fu Zheng said, 'Guard your mouth as if it were a bottle, and defend your thoughts as if they were a city.'" What it emphasizes is not merely not speaking, but a high degree of self-discipline and respect for others. In its deeper meaning, it embodies the character of loyalty, reliability, and steadiness, and is often used to describe people who are trustworthy and capable of keeping secrets. It is mostly used in workplace, social, or family settings. When privacy, trade secrets, or important decisions are involved, people expect the other party to "guard their mouth like a bottle." Its emotional tone is generally positive, carrying a sense of praise and trust. In terms of cultural background, it is in the same vein as the traditional Confucian emphasis on "being cautious in speech," such as "be quick in action and cautious in speech" in The Analects, and "The gentleman wishes to be slow to speak but quick to act." In modern society, this idiom still has important practical significance, reminding people that in the information age they should pay even more attention to the boundaries and responsibilities of speech.
📝 Example
1. He promised to keep his mouth shut, so you can safely tell him any details about the company's new product. (Describing someone who strictly keeps secrets and never leaks them.)
2. As a friend, she always keeps her mouth shut and never spreads other people's private matters around. (Describing someone who speaks cautiously and does not casually spread others' privacy.)