一言难尽
一言难尽 (yī yán nán jìn) literally means “difficult to express in words” and expresses “complex situation”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: yi yan nan jin, yi yan nan jin,一言难尽 meaning, 一言难尽 in english
Complex situation
Pronunciation: yī yán nán jìn Literal meaning: Difficult to express in words
Origin & Usage
One (一) word (言) cannot exhaust (难尽) it. The phrase is doing social work as much as descriptive work: in practice it is the standard Chinese way of declining to answer a question about how things have been, without refusing outright. It signals that the true answer is long and probably unhappy, and that the speaker would rather not begin. Asked how the last few years have gone, 一言难尽 is both an honest answer and a request to change the subject.
Examples
English: "The situation was so complex that it was hard to summarize in a single statement."
Chinese: 这个情况复杂，一言难尽。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
一网打尽
yī wǎng dǎ jìn
Round up every last one in a single sweep
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江郎才尽
jiāng láng cái jìn
Creativity permanently dried up
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前功尽弃
qián gōng jìn qì
Efforts wasted
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一言九鼎
yī yán jiǔ dǐng
Words carry great weight
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言行一致
yán xíng yī zhì
Practice what one preaches
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一言既出
yī yán jì chū
A promise once made must be kept
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鞠躬尽瘁
jū gōng jìn cuì
Devote oneself completely; work until exhausted
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苦尽甘来
kǔ jìn gān lái
After hardship comes happiness
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 一言难尽 mean in English?
一言难尽 (yī yán nán jìn) literally translates to “Difficult to express in words” and is used to express “Complex situation”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 一言难尽 used?
Situation: The situation was so complex that it was hard to summarize in a single statement.
What is the pinyin for 一言难尽?
The pinyin pronunciation for 一言难尽 is “yī yán nán jìn”.