语不投机 yǔ bù tóu jī no common ground

Explanation

指双方言语思想无法沟通，不能互相理解。

It means that two parties cannot communicate or understand each other because of their different words and thoughts.

Origin Story

从前，有一个年轻的和尚，他去拜访一位德高望重的禅师。年轻和尚想向禅师请教佛法，但他口若悬河，滔滔不绝地讲述着自己的见解，禅师却始终一言不发，只是静静地听着。年轻和尚讲完后，期待着禅师的指点，然而禅师只是微微一笑，说：“施主，你说的这些，我已领悟。只是你说的这些，并非我所要说的。”年轻和尚大惑不解，不明白禅师为何这么说。禅师解释道：“佛法讲究因缘，你说的这些，虽然不错，却与我的修行之道格格不入，可谓语不投机。修行之道，贵在契合自身，切莫强求。”年轻和尚这才明白，语不投机并非指言语不通，而是指修行之道，需要与自身因缘契合。

cóngqián, yǒu yīgè niánqīng de héshang, tā qù bàifǎng yī wèi dé gāo wàngzhòng de chánshī. niánqīng héshang xiǎng xiàng chánshī qǐngjiào fó fǎ, dàn tā kǒu ruò xuán hé, tāotāobùjué de jiǎngshù zìjǐ de jiànjiě, chánshī què shǐzhōng yīyán bù fā, zhǐshì jìngjìng de tīngzhe. niánqīng héshang jiǎng wán hòu, qídài zhe chánshī de zhǐdiǎn, rán'ér chánshī zhǐshì wēi wēi yīxiào, shuō："shī zhǔ, nǐ shuō de zhèxiē, wǒ yǐ lǐngwù. zhǐshì nǐ shuō de zhèxiē, bìng fēi wǒ suǒ yào shuō de." niánqīng héshang dà huò bù jiě, bù míngbái chánshī wèihé zhè me shuō. chánshī jiěshì dào："fó fǎ jiǎngjiū yīnyuán, nǐ shuō de zhèxiē, suīrán bùcuò, què yǔ wǒ de xiūxíng zhī dào gé gé bùrù, kěwèi yǔ bù tóujī. xiūxíng zhī dào, guì zài qìhé zìshēn, qièmò qiángqiú." niánqīng héshang cái cǐ míngbái, yǔ bù tóujī bìng fēi zhǐ yǔyán bù tōng, érshì zhǐ xiūxíng zhī dào, xūyào yǔ zìshēn yīnyuán qìhé.

Once upon a time, there was a young monk who visited a highly respected Zen master. The young monk wanted to ask the master about Buddhism, but he talked endlessly about his own views. The Zen master remained silent, listening patiently. After the young monk finished speaking, the Zen master simply smiled and said, "Your words are fine, but they are not what I want to say." The young monk was puzzled and wondered why the master said that. The master explained, "Buddhism emphasizes fate and karma. What you said is good, but it does not match my way of practice, so there is no communication. The way of cultivation is to fit in with your own fate, do not pursue it forcibly."

Usage

多用于形容双方因观点、想法等差异而无法沟通的情况。

duō yòng yú xiānghóng shuāngfāng yīn guāndiǎn, xiǎngfǎ děng chāyì ér wúfǎ gōutōng de qíngkuàng

It is mostly used to describe the situation that two sides cannot communicate due to differences in views and ideas.

Examples

• 两人性格不合，真是语不投机半句多。

  liǎng rén xìnggé bù hé, zhēnshi yǔ bù tóujī bàn jù duō

  They are so different in character that they cannot get along.

• 我和他聊天，感觉很别扭，简直是语不投机。

  wǒ hé tā liáotiān, gǎnjué hěn bièniu, jiǎnzhí shì yǔ bù tóujī

  I felt awkward talking to him, we just couldn't communicate well.

Related Idioms

• 话不投机

• 鸡同鸭讲

Opposite Idioms

• 相见恨晚

• 一拍即合