难以启齿 nán yǐ qǐ chǐ hard to utter

Explanation

形容难以表达或说出的事情，通常指难以启齿的秘密或隐私。

Describes something that is difficult to express or say, usually a secret or privacy that is difficult to reveal.

Origin Story

老张是一位退休教师，他年轻时经历过一段刻骨铭心的爱情，但这段爱情最终以失败告终。多年来，他一直将这段感情深藏心底，不愿向任何人提起。最近，老张的孙子要结婚了，孙子想听听爷爷年轻时的爱情故事，老张看着孙子期盼的眼神，心里五味杂陈。他多么想把自己年轻时的故事分享给孙子，可是那些往事却又难以启齿，让他痛苦不堪。他犹豫再三，最终还是决定保守这个秘密，将它永远埋藏在心底。

lǎo zhāng shì yī wèi tuì xiū jiào shī, tā nián qīng shí jīng lì guò yī duàn kè gǔ míng xīn de ài qíng, dàn zhè duàn ài qíng zuì zhōng yǐ shī bài gào zhōng. duō nián lái, tā yī zhí jiāng zhè duàn gǎn qíng shēn cáng xīn dǐ, bù yuàn xiàng rè hé rén tí qǐ. zuì jìn, lǎo zhāng de sūn zi yào jié hūn le, sūn zi xiǎng tīng tīng yé ye nián qīng shí de ài qíng gù shì, lǎo zhāng kàn zhe sūn zi qī pàn de yǎn shén, xīn lǐ wǔ wèi zá chén. tā duō me xiǎng bǎ zì jǐ nián qīng shí de gù shì fēn xiǎng gěi sūn zi, kě shì nà xiē wǎng shì què yòu nán yǐ qǐ chǐ, ràng tā tòng kǔ bù kān. tā yóu yù zài sān, zuì zhōng hái shì jué dìng bǎo shǒu zhège mìmì, jiāng tā yǒng yuǎn mái cáng zài xīn dǐ.

Old Zhang was a retired teacher. In his youth, he experienced a heart-wrenching love, but this love eventually ended in failure. For many years, he kept this relationship deep in his heart, unwilling to mention it to anyone. Recently, Old Zhang's grandson is getting married, and his grandson wants to hear his grandfather's love story in his youth. Old Zhang looked at his grandson's expectant eyes, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions. He so much wanted to share his youthful experiences with his grandson, but those past events were difficult to speak of, causing him great pain. After much hesitation, he finally decided to keep this secret, burying it forever in his heart.

Usage

用于形容难以启齿的事情或秘密。

yòng yú xiá róng nán yǐ qǐ chǐ de shì qing huò mìmì

Used to describe things or secrets that are difficult to speak of.

Examples

• 这件事，我难以启齿。

  zhè jiàn shì, wǒ nán yǐ qǐ chǐ

  It's difficult for me to say this.

• 这种事情，实在难以启齿。

  zhè zhǒng shì qing, shí zài nán yǐ qǐ chǐ

  This kind of thing is really hard to say.

• 家丑不外扬，这种事我难以启齿。

  jiā chǒu bù wài yáng, zhè zhǒng shì wǒ nán yǐ qǐ chǐ

  Family quarrels should not be aired in public, this is a hard thing for me to say.

Related Idioms

• 羞于启齿

• 难以言喻

Opposite Idioms

• 坦然

• 直言不讳