plead illness; use sickness as pretext
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to plead illness; to use illness as an excuse or pretext
literaryLiterary register. Used in formal, written, or classical contexts to politely decline invitations, duties, or appointments by claiming sickness.
Tā他
tuō托
jí疾
tuī推
cí辞
le了
zhè这
cì次
huì会
yì议
。
He declined the meeting on the pretext of illness.
Zǎi宰
xiàng相
tuō托
jí疾
bù不
chū出
，
cháo朝
tíng廷
dà大
shì事
wú无
rén人
duàn决
jué断
。
The prime minister refused to attend on grounds of illness, leaving no one to decide important affairs of state.
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Miàn面
duì对
quán权
guì贵
yāo邀
qǐng请
，
wén文
rén人
wǎng往
wǎng往
tuō托
jí疾
xiè谢
jué绝
。
When faced with invitations from powerful nobles, scholars would often politely decline by pleading illness.