弦外有音 xián wài yǒu yīn between the lines

Explanation

比喻话语中另有间接透露、没有明说的意思。

It means that a statement has an implicit, unspoken meaning.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，有个年轻的秀才，名叫李白，去京城赶考。路上，他遇到一位老先生，老先生问他：“小伙子，去京城做什么？”李白谦虚地答道：“老先生，我此次去京城参加科举考试。”老先生意味深长地笑了笑，说：“年轻人，科举考试并非易事，要时刻保持清醒的头脑。”李白听得云里雾里，不太明白老先生话里的意思。老先生并没有解释，只是意味深长地看了李白一眼，便继续赶路了。李白一路反复思量老先生的话，越想越觉得意味深长，觉得老先生是在提醒自己，科考之路艰难险阻，要做好充分的心理准备。后来，他果然在科考中遇到了许多困难和挑战，但李白始终牢记老先生的弦外之音，坚持不懈，最终金榜题名。

huà shuō táng cháo shí qī, yǒu ge nián qīng de xiù cái, míng jiào lǐ bái, qù jīng chéng gǎn kǎo. lù shang, tā yù dào yī wèi lǎo xiān shēng, lǎo xiān shēng wèn tā: “xiǎo huǒ zi, qù jīng chéng zuò shén me？” lǐ bái qiān xū de dá dào: “lǎo xiān shēng, wǒ cǐ cì qù jīng chéng cān jiā kē jǔ kǎo shì.” lǎo xiān shēng yì wèi shēn cháng de xiào le xiào, shuō: “nián qīng rén, kē jǔ kǎo shì bìng fēi yì shì, yào shí kè bǎo chí qīng xǐng de tóu nǎo.” lǐ bái tīng de yún lǐ wù lǐ, bù tài míng bái lǎo xiān shēng huà lǐ de yì si. lǎo xiān shēng bìng méiyǒu jiě shì, zhǐ shì yì wèi shēn cháng de kàn le lǐ bái yī yǎn, biàn jì xù gǎn lù le. lǐ bái yī lù fǎn fù sī liang lǎo xiān shēng de huà, yuè xiǎng yuè jué de yì wèi shēn cháng, jué de lǎo xiān shēng shì zài tí xǐng zì jǐ, kē kǎo zhī lù jiān nán xiǎn zǔ, yào zuò hǎo chōng fèn de xīn lǐ zhǔn bèi. hòu lái, tā guǒ rán zài kē kǎo zhōng yù dào le xǔ duō kùn nán hé tiǎo zhàn, dàn lǐ bái shǐ zhōng láo jì lǎo xiān shēng de xián wài yǒu yīn, jiān chí bù xiè, zuì zhōng jīn bǎng tí míng.

During the Tang Dynasty, a young scholar named Li Bai was on his way to the capital to take an examination. On the road, he met an old man who asked, “Young man, what brings you to the capital?” Li Bai humbly replied, “Sir, I'm here to participate in the imperial examination.” The old man smiled knowingly and said, “Young man, the imperial examination isn't easy. You must maintain a clear head.” Li Bai was puzzled and didn't quite understand the meaning behind the old man’s words. The old man didn't explain, but looked at Li Bai meaningfully and continued on his way. Li Bai pondered over the old man's words again and again, finding them increasingly significant. He felt the old man was warning him that the path to the examination was fraught with difficulty and that he should prepare himself mentally. Later, he faced many challenges during the examination, but Li Bai never forgot the old man’s unspoken message. He persevered and eventually passed the imperial examination, achieving great success.

Usage

形容话里另有含蓄的意思，或暗示的意思。

xíngróng huà lǐ lìng yǒu hán xù de yìsi, huò ànshì de yìsi

to indicate something unsaid, or to imply a hidden meaning.

Examples

• 老张虽然没明说，但弦外有音，我们都听明白了。

  lǎo zhāng suīrán méi míng shuō, dàn xián wài yǒu yīn, wǒmen dōu tīng míng bái le.

  Although Old Zhang didn't say it directly, the implication was clear to us all.

• 他话语里弦外有音，暗示着对我的不满

  tā huàyǔ lǐ xián wài yǒu yīn, ànshìzhe duì wǒ de bù mǎn

  There was an undertone in his words, hinting at his dissatisfaction with me.

Related Idioms

• 言外之意

• 弦外之音

Opposite Idioms

• 直言不讳

• 开门见山