只可意会，不可言传 — “It can only be grasped by intuition and not expressed in words”
只可意会，不可言传 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “it can only be grasped by intuition and not expressed in words”. Something that is subtle or profound and difficult to articulate. Literally, “can only be understood by intuition, cannot be expressed in words”.
只可意会，不可言传 Pronunciation and Pinyin
只可意会，不可言传 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 只可意会，不可言传
Idioms Related to 只可意会，不可言传
Synonyms of 只可意会，不可言传
More idioms starting with 只
- zhǐ只zhēng争dàn旦xī夕seize every minute and second
- zhǐ只zhēng争zhāo朝xī夕Seize every minute and second
- zhǐ只zhǔn准zhōu州guān官fàng放huǒ火，，bù不zhǔn准bǎi百xìng姓diǎn点dēng灯Double standards for those in power
- zhǐ只zhǔn准zhōu州guān官fàng放huǒ火，，bù不xǔ许bǎi百xìng姓diǎn点dēng灯double standard for powerful vs ordinary
- zhǐ只fèng凤gū孤huáng凰a single person without a partner
- zhǐ只kě可zhì智qǔ取，，bù不kě可lì力dí敌Win by wisdom, not by force
- zhǐ只tīng听lóu楼tī梯xiǎng响，，bù不jiàn见rén人xià下lai来all talk and no action
- zhī只zì字bù不tí提not mention a single word
- zhī只zì字piàn片yán言a single word or a few remarks
- zhǐ只yǐng影dān单xíng形utterly alone
- zhǐ只yǐng影gū孤xíng形utterly alone and isolated
- zhǐ只shǒu手dān单quán拳a lone hand with meager power
Recommended tools
Stroke Order Animator
Turn a Chinese character or sentence into a GIF or MP4
Open the tool →
Writing Worksheets
Printable tracing sheets with a QR learning companion
Open the tool →
Character Highlight Animator
Choose character parts and animate their colors, together or in stroke order
Open the tool →
Picture Worksheets
Chinese and English fill-in vocabulary worksheets
Open the tool →Questions about 只可意会，不可言传
What does 只可意会，不可言传 mean?
只可意会，不可言传 (zhǐ kě yì huì ， bù kě yán chuán) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “it can only be grasped by intuition and not expressed in words”.
How do you pronounce 只可意会，不可言传?
只可意会，不可言传 is pronounced zhǐ kě yì huì ， bù kě yán chuán in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 只可意会，不可言传 literally mean?
Literally, 只可意会，不可言传 means “can only be understood by intuition, cannot be expressed in words”. It is used to mean “it can only be grasped by intuition and not expressed in words”.
What is the Chinese definition of 只可意会，不可言传?
只能用心去揣摩体会，没法用话具体地表达出来。指道理奥妙，难以说明。有时也指情况微妙，不便说明。