避而不谈
bì ér bù tán
to avoid the subject; to refuse to discuss
Character by character
避bì
avoid
avoid
而ér
and
and
不bù
not
not
谈tán
talk
talk
Example
记者问到裁员的事，公司负责人避而不谈，只说业务一切正常。
When reporters asked about the lay-offs, the company’s head dodged the question and said only that business was normal.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
Usually 对…避而不谈 (对这个问题避而不谈) or 避而不谈 at the end of a clause, of a topic one keeps clear of on purpose. Milder than 讳莫如深 (keeping a matter deeply secret); the opposite is 开诚布公 or 直言不讳.
Learn this in Lesson 160 · HSK 7–9: 艾滋病：检测与偏见 (HIV: testing and prejudice)
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.
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