难以言说

難以言說

nányǐ yánshuō

phrase

Meanings

1 hard to put into words
2 indescribable
3 ineffable

Characters

to / by means of

Examples

HSK 7-9

看到老家变了样，他有种难以言说的感觉。

Kàndào lǎojiā biàn le yàng, tā yǒu zhǒng nányǐ yánshuō de gǎnjué.

Seeing his hometown changed, he had a feeling hard to put into words.

HSK 7-9

失去她的痛是难以言说的。

Shīqù tā de tòng shì nányǐ yánshuō de.

The pain of losing her is impossible to describe.

Tips

register

难以 ('hard to') + 言说 ('speak / express'). Literary register - common in essays and lyrics. Compare 难以形容 ('hard to describe', more visual / surface); 难以言说 is more about the inner experience that resists language.

Stroke Order

难 nán

以 yǐ

言 yán

说 shuō