柴油机抽水，吞吞吐吐柴油機抽水，吞吞吐吐柴油機抽水，吞吞吐吐

a diesel engine pumping water: swallowing and spitting

Saying俗语俗語

Two-part saying歇后语歇後語 · Widely known

Meaning: Describes someone who hesitates and won't say things straight out, but beats about the bush. It is mildly mocking.
Wordplay: 吞吞吐吐 (tūntūntǔtǔ) describes the engine taking in and expelling water, and also a person speaking hesitantly.

Sign up for a free account to save sentences and hear them read aloud

Simplified: 柴油机抽水，吞吞吐吐
Traditional (Taiwan): 柴油機抽水，吞吞吐吐
Pinyin: cháiyóujī chōushuǐ, tūntūn-tǔtǔ
Bopomofo: ㄔㄞˊ ㄧㄡˊ ㄐㄧㄔㄡㄕㄨㄟˇ，ㄊㄨㄣㄊㄨㄣㄊㄨˇ ㄊㄨˇ

Written with HSK 7-9 vocabulary, at CEFR level C1.

Words in this sentence

吞(tūn)吞(tūn-)吐(tǔ)吐(tǔ)hum and haw

Where this sentence is used

Chinese sayings

Sign up for a free Chinese Boost account

Save the words and sentences you find here to your own list, and hear them read aloud. You can export the list to your flashcards whenever you like.

Create a free account

All Chinese example sentences