磨道上的驴,绕圈子 磨道上的驢,繞圈子 磨道上的驢,繞圈子

a donkey on the millstone track: going round in circles

Saying俗语俗語

Two-part saying歇后语歇後語 · Widely known

Meaning
Describes someone who doesn't speak plainly but talks in a roundabout way. Mildly critical, like 'beating around the bush'.
Wordplay
The donkey's circling (绕圈子 rào quānzi) is literal, while the phrase also means figuratively talking evasively.
Simplified
磨道上的驴,绕圈子
Traditional (Taiwan)
磨道上的驢,繞圈子
Pinyin
mó dào shàng de lǘ, ràoquānzi
Bopomofo
ㄇㄛˊ ㄉㄠˋ ㄕㄤˋ ˙ㄉㄜ ㄌㄩˊ,ㄖㄠˋ ㄑㄩㄢ ˙ㄗ

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

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