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拐弯抹角 (guǎi wān mò jiǎo) — (figurative) to beat around the bush, to speak indirectly; (literal) to follow a winding path

Definition

A chengyu that literally describes a winding, twisting path but is used almost always in its figurative sense: to speak indirectly or evade the point. Equivalent to 'beat around the bush.'

idiom
(figurative) to beat around the bushto speak indirectly(literal) to follow a winding path

Examples

  • ，拐弯抹角。
    Nǐ yǒu huà jiù zhí shuō, bié guǎi wān mò jiǎo de.
    If you have something to say, just say it directly — don't beat around the bush.
  • 拐弯抹角。
    Tā guǎi wān mò jiǎo dì àn shì wǒ gāi lí kāi le.
    He hinted indirectly that I should leave.
  • 拐弯抹角，。
    Zhè tiáo shān lù guǎi wān mò jiǎo, kāi chē yào xiǎo xīn.
    This mountain road winds and turns — drive carefully.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

拐弯turn a corner
拐guǎiturn弯wānbend
动宾Verb + object
抹角rub a corner
抹mǒrub角jiǎocorner
动宾Verb + object

“拐弯” and “抹角” both describe turning and rubbing corners, so the idiom pictures a zigzag route and indirect speech.

Characters in this word

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
冎
冎guǎ拐guǎi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拐 pairs 扌, a hand radical written in full as 手, with 冎, which provides the sound guǎ.

Open 拐 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 彎; 弯 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
弓弓gōngbow
Sound part声符shēngfú
䜌
䜌䜌彎wān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 彎 pairs 弓 (bow) with 䜌 as a sound part; the simplified 弯 is a later shorthand.

Open 弯 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
末
末mò抹mǒ
Same sound today

The left part 扌 is the hand component 手, showing an action done with the hand; the right part 末 gives the pronunciation.

Open 抹 →

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

The form 角 is a picture of a horn.

Open 角 →
Appears in
Communication & SpeechIdioms & Set Phrases

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