八面圆

八面圓

bāmiànyuán

adjective

Meanings

1 slick and diplomatic on every side
2 smoothly worldly-wise
3 able to please everyone without offending anyone

Characters

Examples

他八面圆，走到哪里都混得开。

Tā bāmiànyuán, zǒu dào nǎlǐ dōu hùn de kāi.

He's smooth with everyone and gets along wherever he goes.

想在官场上生存，非得学会八面圆不可。

Xiǎng zài guānchǎng shàng shēngcún, fēi děi xuéhuì bāmiànyuán bùkě.

To survive in officialdom, you have to learn to smooth things over on every side.

Tips

usage

Close cousin of the full chengyu 八面玲珑. 八面圆 is slightly more colloquial and can have a more negative edge — implying slickness rather than admirable tact.

Stroke Order

八 bā

面 miàn

圆 yuán