拐弯抹角 in English guai3 wan1 mo4 jiao3 Meaning

Meanings

  • literally (word for word) going round the curves and skirting the corners (idiomatic expression)
  • metaphorically to speak in a roundabout way
  • to equivocate
  • to beat about the bush

Simplified Characters

拐 弯 抹 角

Traditional Characters

拐 彎 抹 角

Pinyin

guai3 wan1 mo4 jiao3

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

拐guai3to turn (a corner etc) 弯wan1to bend 抹mo3to wipe 角jiao3surname Jue