vacillate; waver; sit on the fence
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to waver between two sides; to vacillate
derogatoryOften used in a political or ideological context to describe someone who lacks firm principles and changes sides easily. It carries a negative, disapproving tone.
Zài在
biàn辩
lùn论
zhōng中
，
tā他
lì立
chǎng场
bù不
jiān坚
dìng定
，
wán完
quán全
shì是
gè个
liǎng两
biān边
dǎo倒
de的
rén人
。
During the debate, his stance was unsteady; he was completely a fence-sitter.
Gōng公
sī司
de的
zhèng政
cè策
bù不
néng能
zǒng总
shì是
liǎng两
biān边
dǎo倒
，
bì必
xū须
yǒu有
míng明
què确
de的
fāng方
xiàng向
。
The company's policy cannot always waver back and forth; it must have a clear direction.
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Tā他
zhè这
zhǒng种
liǎng两
biān边
dǎo倒
de的
tài态
dù度
，
zuì最
zhōng终
méi没
rén人
huì会
xìn信
rèn任
tā他
。
With this vacillating attitude of his, no one will trust him in the end.
Guó国
jì际
guān关
xì系
zhōng中
，
yǒu有
xiē些
xiǎo小
guó国
wèi为
le了
bì避
miǎn免
fēng风
xiǎn险
，
cǎi采
qǔ取
liǎng两
biān边
dǎo倒
de的
cè策
lüè略
。
In international relations, some small countries adopt a policy of vacillation to avoid risk.