1.
tip of the tongue
the front part of the tongue, especially as used in tasting or pronouncing sounds
舌先でソースの味を確かめた。
I tasted the sauce with the tip of my tongue.
辛いものを食べると舌先がピリピリする。
When I eat spicy food, my tongue tip tingles.
舌先にレモンの酸味が広がった。
The sourness of lemon spread across the tip of my tongue.
2.
glib talk; smooth talking; lip service
insincere or superficial speech, often used negatively to describe someone who is good at talking but not trustworthy
舌先だけの約束は信用できない。
Promises that are just lip service can't be trusted.
あの営業マンは舌先がうまい。
That salesman has a smooth tongue.
舌先三寸で人を騙すような真似はするな。
Don't do things like deceiving people with glib talk.
舌先 has both a literal meaning (tip of the tongue) and a figurative meaning (glib or insincere talk).
SENSE 1 — LITERAL:
The physical tip of the tongue, as used in tasting or pronunciation.
- 舌先で味を確かめる: to check the taste with the tip of the tongue
SENSE 2 — FIGURATIVE:
Insincere, superficial speech. Always negative in connotation.
- 舌先だけの約束: a promise that's just lip service
- 舌先がうまい: smooth-tongued, glib
IDIOM:
舌先三寸 (literally "three inches of tongue tip") means using smooth talk to deceive others. Strongly negative.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 口先: lip service, glib talk (very similar to sense 2)
- 口がうまい: smooth-talking
- 口車に乗る: to be taken in by smooth talk
Related Words
Synonym:
口先 (lip service)