yánbùjìnyì

言不尽意

Word · IdiomTraditional言不盡意

words cannot express all meaning

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

1 sense · 3 examples
1.

idiom

words cannot express all the meaning; there is more to say than can be expressed; words fail to convey one's full thoughts

literary

Originating from the Book of Changes (《周易·系辞上》): '书不尽言,言不尽意' (Writing cannot express all words, words cannot express all meaning). Traditionally used as a polite formula at the end of letters to indicate that one's feelings or thoughts are too profound to be fully captured in writing.

Zhǐ纸
duǎn短
qíng情
cháng长
 ,
yán言
bù不
jìn尽
yì意
 。

The paper is short but the emotion is long; words cannot express it all.

Lín临
yǐng颖
shén神
chí驰
 ,
shū书
bù不
chéng成
zì字
 ,
yán言
bù不
jìn尽
yì意
 。

As I face the paper my spirit flies afar; the writing does not form proper characters, for words cannot express my meaning.

Show 1 more example
Xīn心
zhōng中
suī虽
yǒu有
qiān千
yán言
wàn万
yǔ语
 ,
dàn但
yán言
bù不
jìn尽
yì意
 ,
wéi唯
yǒu有
yuàn愿
nǐ你
ān安
hǎo好
 。

Although there are thousands of words in my heart, they cannot express the full meaning; I can only wish you well.