搪塞

tángsè

verb #20,681

Meanings

1 to fob off
2 to give a perfunctory answer
3 to muddle through
4 to dodge (a question)

Characters

to block / deflect

to stuff / block up

Examples

HSK 3

你不能一直搪塞领导的问题。

Nǐ bùnéng yīzhí tángsè lǐngdǎo de wèntí.

You can't keep dodging the boss's questions.

HSK 5

他总是用模糊的话来搪塞别人。

Tā zǒngshì yòng móhu de huà lái tángsè biérén.

He always fobs people off with vague words.

Tips

register

搪塞 is colloquial and slightly negative in tone. It implies the speaker is being deliberately evasive rather than genuinely unable to answer. It often carries a sense of irresponsibility.

Stroke Order

搪 táng

塞 sāi