不痛不痒 (bù tòng bù yǎng) — superficial, perfunctory (of criticism, comments, etc.); not addressing the real issue; evasive, noncommittal

Definition

A chengyu describing criticism, comments, or remarks that touch the surface but never hit the real problem — literally 'neither pain nor itch'. Often used to call out evasive, noncommittal talk that avoids the substance.

idiom
superficialperfunctory (of criticism, comments, etc.)not addressing the real issueevasivenoncommittal

Examples

  • 不痛不痒，。
    Tā tí de yì jiàn dōu shì bù tòng bù yǎng de, gēn běn méi shuō dào zhòng diǎn.
    The suggestions he made were all superficial — they didn't get to the key points at all.
  • 不痛不痒，。
    Zhè zhǒng bù tòng bù yǎng de pī píng ràng rén tīng le hěn bù shū fu, què yì diǎn yòng yě méi yǒu.
    This kind of perfunctory criticism makes people uncomfortable but is completely useless.
  • 不痛不痒，。
    Bié zài shuō nà xiē bù tòng bù yǎng de huà le, zán men zhí jiē tán tán shí zhì wèn tí ba.
    Stop making those noncommittal remarks — let's talk directly about the substantive issue.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

不痛not painful
不bùnot痛tòngpain
偏正Modifier + head
不痒not itchy
不bùnot痒yǎngitch
偏正Modifier + head

不痛 and 不痒 stand side by side, suggesting neither pain nor itch is touched, hence superficial.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
疒疒nèillness
Sound part声符shēngfú
甬
甬yǒng痛tòng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 疒 part means illness, and 甬 gives the sound; together they form 痛, meaning pain or hurt.

Open 痛 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
疒疒nèillness
Sound part声符shēngfú
羊
羊yáng痒yǎng
Same sound today

痒 is built from 疒, showing illness, and 羊, which gives its sound.

Open 痒 →

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