irrelevant answer; miss the point
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
to give an irrelevant answer; to answer beside the point; to answer what was not asked
Often used to criticize someone who misunderstands the question or deliberately evades the topic.
Wǒ我
wèn问
tā他
jǐ几
diǎn点
kāi开
huì会
，
tā他
què却
dá答
fēi非
suǒ所
wèn问
de地
shuō说
qǐ起
le了
tiān天
qì气
。
I asked him what time the meeting started, but he gave an irrelevant answer and started talking about the weather.
Miàn面
duì对
jì记
zhě者
de的
tí提
wèn问
，
tā他
gù故
yì意
dá答
fēi非
suǒ所
wèn问
，
huí回
bì避
guān关
jiàn键
wèn问
tí题
。
Faced with the reporter's questions, he deliberately gave irrelevant answers to avoid the key issues.
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Nǐ你
bù不
yào要
dá答
fēi非
suǒ所
wèn问
，
qǐng请
zhí直
jiē接
huí回
dá答
wǒ我
de的
wèn问
tí题
。
Don't evade the question; please answer my question directly.
Tā他
de的
huí回
dá答
wán完
quán全
shì是
dá答
fēi非
suǒ所
wèn问
，
ràng让
rén人
mō摸
bù不
zhe着
tóu头
nǎo脑
。
His answer was completely off-topic, leaving people confused.