骑墙 (qí qiáng) — (figurative) to sit on the fence, to remain neutral or non-committal; (literal) to sit astride a wall

Definition

A figurative verb meaning to 'sit on the fence' — refuse to take a side. Used mostly in writing and political/argument contexts, not casual talk. The literal sense (sitting astride a wall) is rare.

verb
(figurative) to sit on the fence, to remain neutral or non-committal(literal) to sit astride a wall

Examples

  • ，骑墙，。
    Zài xuǎn jǔ zhōng, tā cǎi qǔ qí qiáng de tài dù, bù kěn zhī chí rèn hé yī fāng.
    During the election, he took a fence-sitting attitude and refused to support either side.
  • 骑墙，。
    Tā qí qiáng zài qiáng tóu shàng, kàn zhe liǎng biān de fēng jǐng.
    He sat astride the wall, looking at the scenery on both sides.
  • ，骑墙。
    Zhè cì biàn lùn zhōng, shuāng fāng dōu bù xǐ huan qí qiáng de rén.
    In this debate, both sides dislike people who sit on the fence.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

骑qíride
墙qiángwall

骑 means sit astride and 墙 means wall, so it pictures sitting on a wall.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 騎; 骑 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎhorse
Sound part声符shēngfú
奇
奇qí騎qí
Same sound today

The traditional form 騎 combines 馬, meaning horse, with 奇, which supplies the sound, for riding a horse; the simplified 骑 is a later shorthand.

Open 骑 →

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 牆; 墙 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
嗇嗇sèwheat in a granary
Sound part声符shēngfú
爿
爿pán牆qiáng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 牆, 爿 gives the sound and 嗇, showing wheat in a granary, gives the wall meaning. The simplified 墙 is a later short form.

Open 墙 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.