不痛不痒
不痛不痒 (bù tòng bù yǎng) literally means “neither painful nor itchy” and expresses “ineffective and inconsequential”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: bu tong bu yang, bu tong bu yang,不痛不痒 meaning, 不痛不痒 in english
Ineffective and inconsequential
Pronunciation: bù tòng bù yǎng Literal meaning: Neither painful nor itchy
Origin & Usage
Neither (不) painful (痛) nor (不) itchy (痒) — a sensation too slight to register as either. Applied to criticism or to effort it is dismissive: the thing made no impression at all, and might as well not have happened. The complaint is about insufficiency rather than error. Remarks and measures too weak to have had any effect at all.
Examples
English: "The committee issued a vague statement that addressed none of the real concerns"
Chinese: 委员会发表了一份模糊的声明，没有解决任何实际问题
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
隔靴搔痒
gé xuē sāo yǎng
Ineffective indirect solution
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泰然自若
tài rán zì ruò
Maintain perfect composure under pressure
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痛改前非
tòng gǎi qián fēi
Sincerely repent and reform
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不胫而走
bù jìng ér zǒu
Spread widely and rapidly on its own
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过犹不及
guò yóu bù jí
Moderation in all things
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有条不紊
yǒu tiáo bù wěn
Methodical and well-organized action
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口干舌燥
kǒu gān shé zào
Exhausted from excessive talking
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如醉如梦
rú zuì rú mèng
Entranced in dreamlike state
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 不痛不痒 mean in English?
不痛不痒 (bù tòng bù yǎng) literally translates to “Neither painful nor itchy” and is used to express “Ineffective and inconsequential”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 不痛不痒 used?
Situation: The committee issued a vague statement that addressed none of the real concerns
What is the pinyin for 不痛不痒?
The pinyin pronunciation for 不痛不痒 is “bù tòng bù yǎng”.