‘冷嘲热讽’ is a four-character idiom that literally means ‘cold ridicule and hot sarcasm’. It vividly conveys relentless, biting mockery — not just casual teasing, but sustained, emotionally charged criticism delivered with irony, disdain, or contempt. The contrast between ‘cold’ (detached, aloof) and ‘hot’ (intense, heated) underscores how the mockery can shift between icy indifference and fiery scorn, making it especially cutting and psychologically exhausting for the target.

This idiom is commonly used in written and formal spoken Chinese to describe sustained, often public, verbal attacks — such as snide remarks in meetings, mocking comments on social media, or habitual sarcasm in personal relationships. It carries strong negative connotations and implies intentional emotional harm rather than light-hearted banter. The phrase functions as a noun or nominal phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence, and often appears after verbs like ‘遭到’ (to suffer), ‘充满’ (to be full of), or ‘习惯于’ (to be accustomed to).