暧昧 (ài mèi) — ambiguous, equivocal (of words, attitudes, or behavior); (of a relationship) romantically or sexually ambiguous, shady, illicit

Definition

Examples

• 他的回答很暧昧，让人不知道他到底同意还是反对。
  Tā de huí dá hěn ài mèi, ràng rén bù zhī dào tā dào dǐ tóng yì hái shì fǎn duì.
  His answer was very ambiguous, leaving people unsure whether he agreed or opposed.
• 他们俩的关系一直很暧昧，谁也没说清楚是不是在谈恋爱。
  Tā men liǎ de guān xì yì zhí hěn ài mèi, shuí yě méi shuō qīng chǔ shì bu shì zài tán liàn ài.
  Their relationship has always been ambiguous; no one has made clear whether they are dating.
• 这种暧昧的态度在谈判中很常见，目的是留有余地。
  Zhè zhǒng ài mèi de tài dù zài tán pàn zhōng hěn cháng jiàn, mù dì shì liú yǒu yú dì.
  This kind of equivocal attitude is common in negotiations; the purpose is to leave room for maneuver.

Origin