bùzhījìntuì

不知进退

Word · IdiomTraditional不知進退

rash and indiscreet; lacking sense of propriety

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

1 sense · 3 examples
1.

idiom

rash and indiscreet; lacking a sense of propriety or restraint; unable to gauge what's appropriate

formal

A classical four-character idiom (成语) often used to criticize someone's impetuous or ill-considered actions or words in social or professional situations. It implies a failure to understand when to advance or retreat, i.e., not knowing one's place or boundaries.

Tā他
gāng刚
rù入
zhí职
jiù就
xiàng向
lǎo老
bǎn板
tí提
gè各
zhǒng种
jiàn建
yì议
 ,
zhēn真
shì是
yǒu有
diǎn点
bù不
zhī知
jìn进
tuì退
 。

As soon as he started the job, he kept giving all sorts of suggestions to the boss, showing a real lack of propriety.

Zài在
zhǎng长
bèi辈
miàn面
qián前
rú如
cǐ此
fàng放
sì肆
 ,
nǐ你
zhè这
shì是
bù不
zhī知
jìn进
tuì退
 。

Acting so unrestrained in front of your elders shows you don't know your place.

Show 1 more example
Tán谈
pàn判
shí时
yào要
dǒng懂
de得
chá察
yán言
guān观
sè色
 ,
bù不
zhī知
jìn进
tuì退
huì会
huài坏
shì事
 。

You need to know how to read the room during negotiations; being indiscreet can ruin things.