topic of conversation; ancient fly whisk
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesnoun
topic of conversation; subject of gossip; butt of jokes
Often refers to embarrassing incidents or private matters that become material for others' amusement or discussion.
That embarrassing incident of his is still the butt of everyone's jokes.
Don't use other people's privacy as gossip to spread everywhere.
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This matter has long become a topic of conversation on every street.
noun
fly whisk held by ancient scholars during conversation
archaicRefers to a cultural object from ancient China, typically made of horsehair or yak tail, used by literati during 'pure conversations' (清谈) in the Wei-Jin period.
During the Wei and Jin dynasties, famous scholars often held fly whisks while engaging in pure conversation, looking carefree and relaxed.
The ancient talk whisks were mostly made of deer tails, hence also called 'zhu tan'.