1.
to let something slip; to blurt out; to say something unintentionally
To accidentally reveal information or say something one didn't mean to, often a secret or something inappropriate.
つい口を滑らせてしまった。
I accidentally let it slip.
秘密を口を滑らせて言ってしまった。
I blurted out the secret by mistake.
サプライズパーティーの計画を口を滑らせて本人に話してしまい、みんなに怒られた。
I accidentally let the surprise party plan slip to the person themselves, and everyone got mad at me.
Literally "to let one's mouth slip." A vivid idiom where the mouth is imagined as slipping on something, causing words to come out unintentionally.
USAGE:
Often preceded by つい (unintentionally, inadvertently), emphasizing that the speaker didn't mean to say it. The expression always implies the speaker regrets what was said. Used in both casual and formal contexts.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- つい口を滑らせる — to inadvertently let it slip
- 口を滑らせてしまう — to end up blurting it out (with regret)
- 秘密を口を滑らせる — to let a secret slip
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 口走る — to blurt out; to say rashly without thinking
- 漏らす — to leak; to let information escape
- 失言 — a slip of the tongue; a verbal gaffe (noun)