Definition

1. 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.

2. 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.)