优柔寡断 (yōu róu guǎ duàn) — (idiom) indecisive, irresolute | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Idiom for being unable to make decisions — a person who hesitates and wavers, weaker in resolve than someone who is simply careful or cautious.

idiom

indecisiveirresolute

Examples

优柔寡断，。
Tā tài yōu róu guǎ duàn le, lián xuǎn shén me zhuān yè dōu ná bú dìng zhǔ yì.
He's so indecisive — he can't even decide on a major.
优柔寡断，。
Zuò lǐng dǎo bù néng yōu róu guǎ duàn, fǒu zé tuán duì huì shī qù fāng xiàng.
A leader can't be indecisive, or the team will lose direction.
优柔寡断，。
Tā zǒng shì yōu róu guǎ duàn, měi cì gòu wù dōu yào yóu yù bàn tiān.
She's always indecisive — she hesitates for ages every time she shops.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

优柔hesitant

优yōuleisurely柔róusoft

联合Coordinate

寡断lacking decisiveness

寡guǎlacking断duàndecision

偏正Modifier + head

优柔 conveys hesitant softness, while 寡断 conveys lacking decisive judgment, together describing indecisiveness.

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 優; 优 is its simplified writing.

亻憂優

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rén

Sound part声符shēngfú

憂

憂yōu優yōu

Same sound today

The traditional form 優 combines 亻 (人, person) with 憂 for the sound; the simplified 优 is a later abbreviation.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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

宀宀miánhouse
頁頁yèhead

The form 寡 pairs 宀, a house, with 頁, a head: one head in a house, alone.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 斷; 断 is its simplified writing.

𢇍𢇍𢇍to cut
斤斤jīnaxe

The traditional form 斷 uses 𢇍 (to cut) and 斤 (axe) together.

Appears in

Idioms & Set Phrases Personality & Traits

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