遮遮掩掩 (zhē zhē yǎn yǎn) — evasive, secretive, trying to hide the truth; to act in a furtive or underhanded way
Definition
Reduplicated adverbial idiom describing a furtive, evasive manner — someone who hides or dodges the truth instead of speaking openly. Used as an attributive or adverbial (说话遮遮掩掩的).
bound form
evasivesecretivetrying to hide the truthto act in a furtive or underhanded way
Examples
- 遮遮掩掩，。Tā shuō huà zhē zhē yǎn yǎn de, kěn dìng yǒu shì mán zhe wǒ men.He speaks evasively — he must be hiding something from us.
- 遮遮掩掩，。Zhè jiàn shì méi shén me hǎo zhē zhē yǎn yǎn de, zhí jiē gào sù dà jiā ba.There's no need to be secretive about this matter — just tell everyone directly.
- 遮遮掩掩，。Bié lǎo shì yí fù zhē zhē yǎn yǎn de yàng zi, yǒu shén me wèn tí dāng miàn shuō qīng chǔ.Don't always look so furtive — just say what's on your mind openly.
Origin
Reduplicated word构词法gòucífǎ
重叠chóngdiéReduplication
A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.
“遮” and “掩” both mean cover or hide; the repeated forms intensify the secretive, evasive sense.
Appears in
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