quanh quéo
Definition
Adjective:
- Indirect; circuitous; roundabout: Describing a manner of speaking, writing, or reasoning that is not straightforward, avoiding directness or clarity, often with the intent to evade or obscure.
- Winding; meandering: Describing a physical path, road, or course that has many turns and bends, not direct.
Adverb:
- In a roundabout way; indirectly: Describing an action, especially of speaking or explaining, performed with unnecessary complexity or evasion.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Anh ta trả lời một cách quanh quéo. (He gave an indirect answer.)
- Con đường vào làng rất quanh quéo. (The road into the village is very winding.)
- Adverb:
- Đừng nói quanh quéo nữa, hãy đi thẳng vào vấn đề. (Stop beating around the bush; get straight to the point.)
Advanced Usage
- Used to criticize communication perceived as dishonest, evasive, or unnecessarily complicated.
- Lời từ chối của họ nghe rất quanh quéo. (Their refusal sounded very evasive.)
Variants and Related Words
- Quanh co (adj/adv): Synonymous with "quanh quéo," meaning indirect, winding, or roundabout.
- Bài viết có lập luận quanh co. (The essay has circuitous arguments.)
Synonyms
- Indirect: Not straightforward.
- Circuitous: Longer than the most direct way.
- Evasive: Tending to avoid commitment or clarity.
- Roundabout: Not direct or simple.
Related Idioms
- Vòng vo tam quốc: A vivid idiom meaning "to beat around the bush" extensively, implying a long, indirect story avoiding the main point.
- Anh ấy cứ vòng vo tam quốc mãi. (He just keeps beating around the bush.)