Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 吹牛 | chuīniú |
| 吹噓 / 吹嘘 | chuīxū |
| 自誇 / 自夸 | zìkuā |
To brag can be expressed in various ways depending on the context. You might use 吹牛 for general bragging, 炫耀 when someone is specifically flaunting their possessions or abilities or the more literary 自誇 to describe the act of boasting about oneself. If someone is bragging excessively, the idiom 自吹自擂 is used to convey the idea of 'blowing your own trumpet'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 吹牛 literally means 'to blow a cow'.
Which one should you use?
吹牛 is the most common colloquial way to say someone is bragging or talking big. In more formal settings, 吹噓 is used to mean 'to boast' or 'to extol', often carrying a negative connotation of excessive or empty praise. For a more neutral or literary tone focused specifically on self-praise, use 自誇.
How do you pronounce it?
chuīniú
Did you know?
- In Chinese social dynamics, if someone says 我不吹牛 ('I am not bragging'), it is often a linguistic signal that they are about to say something very impressive.
- The phrase 吹牛 is closely linked to the concept of 吹水 in Cantonese, which means 'blowing water' and refers to chatting or bragging.
- While 吹牛 literally means 'to blow a cow', it is often shortened to just 吹 in modern slang to describe someone who is exaggerating or lying.
Examples in context
- 我不想吹牛。I don't mean to brag.This sentence is useful for expressing that you do not intend to brag using 吹牛.Tatoeba #13137879 by LeviHighway, translation #7915493 by Hybrid
- 他常常夸耀自己的成就。He often boasts about his achievements.
- 他总是自吹自擂，从不谦虚。He always brags and never shows modesty.
- 他在派对上炫耀着他的新车。He was bragging about his new car at the party.
- 你又开始吹牛了！You're bragging again!
- 他在微信上炫耀他的新手机。He is bragging about his new phone on WeChat.
- 我并不认为夸耀自己有用。I don't think boasting about oneself is useful.
- 别再吹牛了，我都听够了。Stop bragging, I've heard enough.
- 他经常在朋友面前吹牛。Tā jīngcháng zài péngyǒu miànqián chuīniú.He often brags in front of his friends.
- 别听他吹牛，那都是假的。Bié tīng tā chuīniú, nà dōu shì jiǎ de.Don't listen to his bragging, it's all fake.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a classmate's unbelievable story.
- 佳怡 Jiayi志强，你相信他吗？Zhìqiáng, nǐ xiāngxìn tā ma?Zhiqiang, do you believe him?
- 志强 Zhiqiang我不信，他一直在吹牛。Wǒ bù xìn, tā yìzhí zài chuīniú.I don't believe it, he is just bragging.
- 佳怡 Jiayi他说他见过明星。Tā shuō tā jiànguò míngxīng.He said he has seen a celebrity.
- 志强 Zhiqiang他真是个爱吹牛的人。Tā zhēn shì gè ài chuīniú de rén.He really is a person who loves to brag.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “brag” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
