'Dǐng zuǐ' literally means 'to push back with the mouth' — the character 顶 (dǐng) conveys pushing, resisting, or opposing, while 嘴 (zuǐ) means 'mouth'. Together, they form a vivid idiom describing the act of talking back, especially in defiance of someone older or in authority, such as parents, teachers, or supervisors. It carries a clear negative connotation and implies impoliteness, lack of respect, or immaturity.

This expression is commonly used in family or educational contexts to describe children or young people who respond sharply, argue unreasonably, or challenge instructions without deference. It’s not used for respectful disagreement or mature debate — those would be described with terms like 反驳 (fǎnbó) or 提出不同意见 (tíchū bùtóng yìjiàn). The word reflects traditional Chinese values emphasizing filial piety and hierarchical respect, so using it signals social disapproval.