能言善辩

néng yán shàn biàn

eloquent and good at arguing

Character by character

能néng
able

言yán
speak

善shàn
good at

辩biàn
argue

他从小就能言善辩，长大以后当了律师。

He had a gift for arguing from childhood, and grew up to be a lawyer.

Tone: positive (praise).

Praise for a quick, persuasive speaker, though it can hint at glibness: 光能言善辩可不够. Close to 伶牙俐齿, which is more colloquial and can mean sharp-tongued.

Learn this in Lesson 227 · HSK 9+: 辩论的艺术 (The art of debate)

A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.