只可意会，不可言传 zhǐ kě yì huì ， bù kě yán chuán

felt but hard to say in words

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. can be understood, but not described (idiom, from Zhuangzi 庄子zhuāng zǐ); mysterious and subtle

Characters

Character Meaning
只 zhǐ HSK 3
only; just; merely
可 kě HSK 2
can; may; able to
意 yì HSK 2
meaning; idea; thought
会 huì HSK 1
can; to be able to; will
不 bù HSK 1
not; no; (negative prefix)
可 kě HSK 2
can; may; able to
言 yán HSK 4
to say; to talk; speech
传 chuán HSK 4
to pass on; to spread; to transmit