不痛不痒

Pronunciation: bù tòng bù yǎng
Literal meaning: Neither painful nor itchy

Origin & Usage

This sensory idiom describes something neither (不) painful (痛) nor (不) itchy (痒), originating from Song Dynasty medical texts. It initially described symptoms too mild to definitively diagnose or require treatment. The pairing was meaningful as pain and itching represented the two primary categories of bodily discomfort in traditional Chinese medicine. During the Ming Dynasty, it evolved beyond medical contexts to describe ineffective actions or non-committal responses. Unlike terms for simple inadequacy, it specifically criticizes lack of meaningful impact despite apparent activity. Modern usage describes half-hearted efforts, lukewarm positions, or vague statements that deliberately avoid addressing core issues, particularly in political or corporate communication.

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

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