To have bitter suffering that one cannot speak of or express; often used after the phrase [[哑巴吃黄连|啞巴吃黃連|ya3 ba5 chi1 huang2 lian2]]

to be forced to suffer in silence or swallow one's grievances without being able to complain; literally a mute eating bitter herbs and having no way to describe the bitterness

To be forced to suffer in silence or unable to voice one's grievances; literally, a mute person eating the bitter herb Coptis chinensis and being unable to speak about the bitterness.

unable to say a word; at a loss for words