无言以对 (wú yán yǐ duì) — (idiom) to have nothing to say in reply; to be rendered speechless

Definition

'To have nothing to say in reply' — being left speechless by someone else's argument or question, so you cannot come up with a retort. Implies being momentarily stunned or bested, not just quietly agreeing.

idiom
to have nothing to say in replyto be rendered speechless

Examples

  • 无言以对，。
    Tā bèi wèn dé wú yán yǐ duì, zhǐ hǎo dī tóu chéng rèn.
    He was questioned so thoroughly that he had nothing to say and had to bow his head and admit it.
  • ，无言以对。
    Zài biàn lùn sài zhōng, duì shǒu de shù jù hé zhèng jù ràng tā wú yán yǐ duì.
    In the debate competition, the opponent's data and evidence left him speechless.
  • 无言以对，。
    Tā de yì fān huà ràng wǒ wú yán yǐ duì, zhǐ néng mò mò diǎn tóu.
    Her words left me at a loss for words; I could only nod silently.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 無; 无 is its simplified writing.

For the simplified 无, the story is about 無. 無 drew a person dancing with ox tails held in both hands to pray for rain, then was borrowed for 'have no', so the picture does not explain that meaning.

Open 无 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The early form of 言 shows an opening and a mark indicating a location; the location is not described as the source of speech.

Open 言 →

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

The shape came from a drawing of a person carrying something; in 以, part of that person is still visible on the right.

Open 以 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 對; 对 is its simplified writing.

For the traditional form 對, the shape comes from an early drawing of 丵 (a digging tool), 土 (earth), and 又 (a hand); it may have meant developing land.

Open 对 →

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