意在言外 Yì zài yán wài implied meaning

Explanation

指话语中包含的意义不在字面，需要用心领会。

Refers to the meaning contained in a statement that is not literally expressed and requires careful understanding.

Origin Story

一位饱经沧桑的老者坐在公园的长椅上，静静地望着夕阳西下。一位年轻人走近他，问道：“老人家，您这一生经历了这么多，有什么感悟吗？”老者微笑不语，只是轻轻地指了指落日的余晖。年轻人若有所思，良久才明白，老者意在言外，人生的意义并非在于追求功名利禄，而在于珍惜当下，感受生命的美好。

yī wèi bǎo jīng cāng sāng de lǎo zhě zuò zài gōng yuán de cháng yǐ shang, jìngjìng de wàng zhe xī yáng xī xià。yī wèi nián qīng rén zǒu jìn tā, wèn dào：“lǎo rén jiā, nín zhè yī shēng jīng lì le zhè me duō, yǒu shénme gǎnwù ma？”lǎo zhě wēixiào bù yǔ, zhǐshì qīng qīng de zhǐ le zhǐ luò rì de yú huī。nián qīng rén ruò yǒu suǒ sī, liáng jiǔ cái míng bái, lǎo zhě yì zài yán wài, rénshēng de yìyì bìng fēi zài yú zhuī qiú gōng míng lì lù, ér zài yú zhēnxī dāng xià, gǎnshòu shēngmìng de měihǎo。

An old man, weathered by years, sat on a park bench, quietly watching the setting sun. A young man approached him and asked, "Old man, you've been through so much in your life, what are your insights?" The old man smiled without speaking, merely gesturing gently toward the fading sunlight. The young man thought for a long while before understanding that the old man's meaning was implicit: the meaning of life lies not in the pursuit of fame and fortune but in cherishing the present moment and feeling the beauty of life.

Usage

常用于形容说话含蓄，意思不在字面，需要仔细体会。

cháng yòng yú xíngróng shuō huà hánxù, yìsi bù zài zìmian, xūyào zǐxì tǐhuì。

Often used to describe a statement that is implicit, the meaning is not literal and needs to be understood carefully.

Examples

• 他话里话外地暗示我，意思其实很明白。

  tā huà lǐ huà wài de yìnshì wǒ, yìsi qíshí hěn míngbái。

  He hinted at me in a roundabout way, and the meaning was actually quite clear.

• 虽然没有直接说明，但他的意思已经意在言外了。

  suīrán méiyǒu zhíjiē shuōmíng, dàn tā de yìsi yǐjīng yì zài yán wài le。

  Although he didn't say it directly, his meaning was already implied.

Related Idioms

• 弦外之音

• 话中有话

Opposite Idioms

• 直言不讳

• 开门见山