拖泥带水 tuō ní dài shuǐ long-winded

Explanation

形容做事或说话不干脆利落，犹豫不决。

To describe someone who does things or speaks hesitantly and indecisively.

Origin Story

小明接到一个紧急任务，需要在短时间内完成一份报告。他一开始思路清晰，但写到一半却犹豫起来，一会儿修改这个句子，一会儿又补充那个数据，结果报告不仅拖延了时间，而且显得凌乱不堪，最终也没有达到预期的效果。他做事拖泥带水，错过了最佳时机。

xiǎomíng jiēdào yīgè jǐnjí rènwù, xūyào zài duǎn shíjiān nèi wánchéng yī fèn bàogào. tā yīkāishǐ sīlù qīngxī, dàn xiě dào yībàn què yóuyù qǐlái, yīhuǐ'er xiūgǎi zhège jùzi, yīhuǐ'er yòu bǔchōng nàge shùjù, jiéguǒ bàogào bùjǐn tuōyán le shíjiān, érqiě xiǎnde língluàn bùkān, zuìzhōng yě méiyǒu dádào yùqī de xiàoguǒ. tā zuòshì tuō ní dài shuǐ, cuòguò le zuìjiā shíjī.

Xiaoming received an urgent task: to finish a report in a short time. Initially, he was clear-headed, but halfway through he hesitated, changing one sentence and then adding data, resulting in a delayed and messy report that failed to meet expectations. His procrastination cost him the best opportunity.

Usage

作谓语、宾语、定语；形容做事说话不干脆。

zuò wèiyǔ, bǐnyǔ, dìngyǔ; xiāngxíng zuòshì shuōhuà bù gāncài

Used as predicate, object, and attributive; describes someone who is clumsy and indecisive in their work or speech.

Examples

• 他的解释拖泥带水，让人难以理解。

  tā de jiěshì tuō ní dài shuǐ, ràng rén nán yǐ lǐjiě

  His explanation was long-winded and difficult to understand.

• 不要在工作中拖泥带水，要迅速做出决定。

  bú yào zài gōngzuò zhōng tuō ní dài shuǐ, yào xùnsù zuò chū juédìng

  Don't procrastinate at work; make quick decisions.

Related Idioms

• 犹豫不决

• 吞吞吐吐

Opposite Idioms

• 干脆利落

• 直截了当