半吞半吐
bàn​tūn​bàn​tǔ

to hem and haw

  • created reference approved 半吞半吐 → 吞吞吐吐 (synonym) — "Initial import from upstream dictionary"

    半吞半吐 bàn​tūn​bàn​tǔ

    吞吞吐吐 tūn​tūn​tǔ​tǔ

    synonym

    Changed: source (simp), source (trad), source pinyin, target (simp), target (trad), target pinyin, type

    created reference

  • created sense approved 半吞半吐 · bàn​tūn​bàn​tǔ · to hem and haw — "Initial import from upstream dictionary"

    半吞半吐

    bàn​tūn​bàn​tǔ

    to hem and haw

    Describes speaking in a hesitant and indirect manner, as if half-swallowing and half-spitting one's words; to be evasive in speech

    半 (literal) → 半 · bàn · partly 吞 (literal) → 吞 · tūn · to swallow 半 (literal) → 半 · bàn · partly 吐 (literal) → 吐 · tǔ · to say

    Changed: simplified, traditional, gloss, definition, pinyin, variant pinyin, variants, separable parts, decomposition

    created sense