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避而不谈 (bì ér bù tán) — to evade the subject; to avoid discussing something

Definition

A chengyu meaning to deliberately and pointedly avoid mentioning a topic — stronger than just 'not talking about' something, implying the topic is sensitive or controversial.

idiom
to evade the subjectto avoid discussing something

Examples

  • ，避而不谈。
    Zài huì yì shàng, tā duì nà ge mǐn gǎn wèn tí bì ér bù tán.
    At the meeting, he evaded that sensitive issue.
  • ，避而不谈。
    Jì zhě zhuī wèn le sān cì, tā réng rán bì ér bù tán.
    The reporter pressed him three times, but he still avoided the subject.
  • ，避而不谈。
    Guān yú zì jǐ de guò qù, tā zǒng shì bì ér bù tán.
    He always avoids talking about his own past.

Origin

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
辶Written in full as辵chuòto walk
Sound part声符shēngfú
辟
辟pì避bì
Same sound today

避 is built from 辶, a walking-related form, plus 辟, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 避 →

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

The shape of 而 is a picture of a beard.

Open 而 →

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 談; 谈 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech
Sound part声符shēngfú
炎
炎yán談tán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 谈, the traditional form 談 pairs 言 (speech) with 炎 (yán) as the sound part.

Open 谈 →
Appears in
Communication & SpeechIdioms & Set Phrases

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