欲言又止

yùyányòuzhǐ

idiom

Meanings

1 to want to speak but hold back
2 to hesitate, about to say something but stopping short

Characters

to want; desire

to speak; words

Examples

她欲言又止，最后只叹了口气。

Tā yùyányòuzhǐ, zuìhòu zhǐ tànle kǒu qì.

She was about to speak but held back, finally just letting out a sigh.

看他欲言又止的样子，一定有心事。

Kàn tā yùyányòuzhǐ de yàngzi, yīdìng yǒu xīnshì.

From the way he kept starting and stopping, he must have something on his mind.

Tips

history

From Pu Songling's 《聊斋志异》 (Qing): 语甚凄楚，惊问之，欲言而止者再 — a character "tried to speak and stopped, repeatedly" — capturing hesitation born of painful secrets.

usage

Perfect for describing body language in writing: someone visibly pausing, mouth half-open, then swallowing the words.

Stroke Order

欲 yù

言 yán

又 yòu

止 zhǐ