yán wài zhī yì
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ReadWriteQuiz

Chinese dictionary
Show pinyin

  • slimplication; unspoken meaning

    • tǐ huì yán wài zhī yì

      体会言外之意

      read between the lines

    • tā bǎi le yī dà duī kùn nan yán wài zhī yì shì xū yào bāng zhù

      困难言外之意需要帮助

      He gave a long account of his troubles, with the implication that he needed help.

    • cóng yán wài zhī yì tīng nà jiāng huì shì yī cì chéng gōng de fǎng wèn

      言外之意成功访问

      It would make a good interview, by the sound of it.

    • tā jù bù xiāng xìn wǒ men suǒ jiǎng de shì qing yán wài zhī yì shì wǒ men zài sā huǎng

      相信我们事情言外之意我们撒谎

      In refusing to believe our story, he is saying by implication that we are lying.

    • tīng yán wài zhī yì wǒ kàn yuē hàn bù shì hěn kuài lè

      言外之意约翰快乐

      Reading between the lines, I’d say John’s not very happy.

Word usage

  • Note
    "言外之意" is different from the degree indicated by "言下之意". Although "言下之意" also means that there is no explicit statement, the meaning of "there is already in the words" is more obvious.