拐弯抹角 guǎi wān mò jiǎo

fig. to speak in a roundabout way; to beat about the bush

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency 15409th word

Definitions

  1. 1. fig. to speak in a roundabout way
  2. 2. to beat about the bush
  3. 3. to equivocate
  4. 4. lit. going round the curves and skirting the corners (idiom)

Characters

Character Meaning
拐 guǎi HSK 5
to turn (a corner etc); to swindle; to kidnap
弯 wān HSK 5
to bend; bent; a bend
抹 mò HSK 6
to wipe; to smear; to erase
角 jiǎo HSK 3
corner; angle