三缄其口 (sān jiān jī) — to be extremely tight-lipped; to seal one's lips; to say nothing (out of caution)
Definition
A formal chengyu meaning to stay completely silent, usually out of caution or fear. Conveys deliberate, resolute silence — stronger than just 沉默. The verb 缄 (seal) is rarely used outside this idiom.
idiom
to be extremely tight-lippedto seal one's lipsto say nothing (out of caution)
Examples
- ，三缄其口，。Guān yú zhè jiàn shì, tā sān jiān jī, yí gè zì yě bù kěn shuō.He is extremely tight-lipped about this matter and won't say a single word.
- ，三缄其口，。Miàn duì jì zhě de zhuī wèn, zhè wèi guān yuán sān jiān jī, jù jué fā biǎo rèn hé píng lùn.Facing the reporters' questions, the official sealed his lips and refused to make any comments.
- ，三缄其口。Tā shēng xìng jǐn shèn, zài zhòng yào huì yì shàng zǒng shì sān jiān jī.He is cautious by nature and always keeps his mouth shut at important meetings.
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