缄口不言 to keep silent
Explanation
缄口不言的意思是闭紧嘴巴，不说话。形容沉默不语，或者因为害怕或顾忌而不敢说话。
The meaning of "jiankou buyan" is to close one's mouth and not speak. It describes someone who is silent or who dares not speak because of fear or consideration.
Origin Story
战国时期，一位正直的官员因上书批评昏君而被囚禁。狱卒对他严刑拷打，逼问他是否还有同伙。但他始终缄口不言，宁死不屈。最终，他被残酷杀害，但他的精神却激励着后人，成为正义的象征。几百年后，一位年轻的书生，偶然读到他的故事，深受感动。他意识到，有些事情，即使面对强大的压力，也要坚持自己的原则，缄口不言，绝不妥协。
During the Warring States period, an upright official was imprisoned for writing a letter criticizing the tyrannical ruler. The jailer subjected him to severe torture, trying to force a confession about his accomplices. But he remained silent, unyielding to death. Eventually, he was cruelly murdered, but his spirit inspired later generations, becoming a symbol of justice. Centuries later, a young scholar happened to read his story and was deeply moved. He realized that in some things, even in the face of immense pressure, one must uphold their principles and remain silent, never compromising.
Usage
该词语主要用于描写人物在面对压力或危险时保持沉默的状态。
This idiom is mainly used to describe the state of a person remaining silent in the face of pressure or danger.
Examples
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面对上司的质问，他缄口不言，一言不发。
miànduì shàngsī de zhìwèn, tā jiānkǒu bù yán, yīyán bù fā
Faced with the boss's questioning, he remained silent, not uttering a single word.
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审讯中，嫌疑人缄口不言，没有提供任何有价值的信息。
shěn xùn zhōng, xiányí rén jiānkǒu bù yán, méiyǒu tígōng rènhé yǒujià de xìnxī
During the interrogation, the suspect remained silent and did not provide any valuable information.
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面对记者的追问，明星缄口不言，拒绝回应任何问题。
miànduì jìzhě de zhuīwèn, míngxīng jiānkǒu bù yán, jùjué huíyìng rènhé wèntí
In response to reporters' questioning, the star remained silent and refused to respond to any questions.