beat around the bush; go in a roundabout way
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesverb phrase
to go along winding paths; to make a detour
Refers literally to taking a circuitous route.
Tā他
guǎi拐
wān弯
mò抹
jiǎo角
，
zhōng终
yú于
zhǎo找
dào到
le了
nà那
ge个
cáng藏
zài在
xiàng巷
zi子
lǐ里
de的
xiǎo小
diàn店
。
He went around many corners and finally found the little shop hidden in the alley.
Zhè这
ge个
cūn村
zi子
lù路
hěn很
rào绕
，
bù不
shú熟
xī悉
de的
rén人
děi得
guǎi拐
wān弯
mò抹
jiǎo角
cái才
néng能
dào到
cūn村
wěi委
huì会
。
The roads in this village are very winding; unfamiliar people have to go around twists and turns to get to the village committee.
idiom
to beat around the bush; to be indirect or evasive in speech or writing
This figurative sense is much more common in modern usage. It describes communication that is not straightforward.
Yǒu有
huà话
zhí直
shuō说
，
bié别
guǎi拐
wān弯
mò抹
jiǎo角
de的
。
Say what you mean directly; don't beat around the bush.
Tā他
zài在
zhè这
duàn段
bào报
gào告
lǐ里
guǎi拐
wān弯
mò抹
jiǎo角
，
shǐ始
zhōng终
méi没
gěi给
chū出
yī一
ge个
míng明
què确
de的
jié结
lùn论
。
He was evasive throughout this report and never gave a clear conclusion.
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Tā她
zǒng总
shì是
guǎi拐
wān弯
mò抹
jiǎo角
de地
dǎ打
tīng听
bié别
rén人
de的
yīn隐
sī私
，
zhè这
ràng让
rén人
hěn很
bù不
shū舒
fu服
。
She always tries to pry into others' privacy by beating around the bush, which makes people very uncomfortable.