jiāo交crosstóu头headjiē接connectěr耳ear
To whisper to each other; to huddle together and talk in whispers.
Literal meaning
cross (交) — head (头) — connect (接) — ear (耳)
Origin
A classical four-character phrase describing people talking secretly or intimately.
Examples
Tāmen jiāotóu jiē'ěr, bù zhīdào zài shuō shénme.他们交头接耳，不知道在说什么。
They were whispering to each other, I don't know what they were saying.
Shàngkè shí bù yào jiāotóu jiē'ěr.上课时不要交头接耳。
Don't whisper to each other during class.
Usage & nuances
Often implies secrecy or intimacy.
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