Definition
This is a four-character set phrase (chengyu) meaning to speak in a deliberately vague or evasive way, often to avoid making a clear commitment or giving a direct answer. It is used as a verb phrase and carries a mildly critical tone — you can say someone 含糊其辞 when they dodge a question or leave their position unclear.
v
to speak ambiguouslyto equivocateto be deliberately vague
Examples
- 含糊其辞，。Tā zài huídá wèntí shí zǒngshì hán hū, bùkěn shuō qīngchu.He always speaks ambiguously when answering questions and refuses to be clear.
- ，含糊其辞，。Jìzhě zhuīwèn le jǐ cì, tā háishì hán hū, méiyǒu zhèngmiàn huíyìng.The reporter pressed him several times, but he still equivocated and didn't respond directly.
- 含糊其辞。Zhè zhǒng hán hū de shuōfǎ ràng rén wúfǎ xiāngxìn.This kind of deliberately vague statement makes it impossible to trust.
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