引而不發 yǐn ér bù fā

DEFINITIONS

  1. to pull the bow without shooting (idiom from Mencius); ready and waiting for action
  2. to go through the motions
  3. to practice
  4. a trial run

CHARACTERS

引 yǐn
HSK 4
to pull, draw out, attract; to stretch
而 ér
HSK 3
and; and then; and yet; but
不 bù
HSK 1
no, not; un-; negative prefix
發 fā issue, dispatch, send out, emit