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一言不发 (yì yán bù fā): Meaning, Examples & Usage

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HSK 3.0 Level 7-9
一言不发

一言不发 (yì yán bù fā): Not say a word / Keep silent — Meaning & Stroke Order

HSK 3.0Level 7-9

1.

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2.

Character Breakdown

一言不发 consists of 4 characters.

one; once; first; structural word between two of the same verb; as soon as; throughout

to speak; to say; word; speech

to send (an email)

Word Info

Pinyinyì yán bù fā

MeaningNot say a word / Keep silent

Characters4

HSK 2.0—

HSK 3.0Level 7-9

Syntax—

Word一言不发

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3.

How to Use 一言不发 in Sentences

Common collocations & usage patterns. Learn how to combine 一言不发 with other words naturally.

Adverbial + Verbwith坐着

yī一

yán言

bù不

fā发

de地

zuò坐

zhe着

neutral

sit in silence

Adverb + Verbwith突然

tū突

rán然

yī一

yán言

bù不

fā发

Verb + Objectwith保持

bǎo保

chí持

yī一

yán言

bù不

fā发

Idiomwith沉默寡言

chén沉

mò默

guǎ寡

yán言

，

yī一

yán言

bù不

4.

Example Sentences with 一言不发

tā他

shēng生

qì气

le了

，

suǒ所

yǐ以

yī一

neutral

suddenly fall silent

neutral

remain silent

fā发

formalWritten

taciturn and silent

yán言

bù不

fā发

。

He was angry, so he didn't say a word.

miàn面

duì对

tū突

rú如

qí其

lái来

de的

zhǐ指

kòng控

，

tā他

shǐ始

zhōng终

yì一

yán言

bù不

fā发

，

shén神

qíng情

níng凝

zhòng重

。

Faced with the sudden accusation, he remained silent the whole time, with a grave expression.

nǐ你

zěn怎

me么

zài在

jù聚

huì会

shàng上

yì一

zhí直

yì一

yán言

bù不

fā发

，

shì是

yǒu有

shén什

me么

xīn心

shì事

ma吗

？

Why have you been keeping silent the whole time at the party? Is something bothering you?

zài在

huì会

yì议

shàng上

，

tā他

yì一

zhí直

yī一

yán言

bù不

fā发

，

zhǐ只

shì是

ān安

jìng静

dì地

tīng听

zhe着

。

During the meeting, he remained silent the whole time, just listening quietly.

tā他

bìng并

fēi非

duì对

tǎo讨

lùn论

mò漠

bù不

guān关

xīn心

，

zhǐ只

shì是

xuǎn选

zé择

yì一

yán言

bù不

fā发

dì地

qīng倾

tīng听

。

He was not indifferent to the discussion; he simply chose to listen without saying a word.

tīng听

wán完

zhěng整

gè个

jì计

huà划

，

tā她

yì一

yán言

bù不

fā发

，

xiàn陷

rù入

le了

cháng长

jiǔ久

de的

chén沉

sī思

。

After hearing the entire plan, she didn't say a word and fell into prolonged contemplation.

miàn面

duì对

lǎo老

shī师

de的

pī批

píng评

，

xiǎo小

míng明

yī一

yán言

bù不

fā发

，

mò默

mò默

dì地

dī低

xià下

le了

tóu头

。

Faced with the teacher's criticism, Xiaoming didn't say a word and silently lowered his head.

jìn尽

guǎn管

dà大

jiā家

zhēng争

lùn论

jī激

liè烈

，

zhǔ主

xí席

què却

yì一

yán言

bù不

fā发

，

zhí直

dào到

zuì最

hòu后

cái才

zǒng总

jié结

。

Although everyone argued fiercely, the chairman kept silent and only summarized at the very end.

Related Words

More HSK vocabulary that shares characters with 一言不发.

Words with 一

一些yī xiēHSK 1
一半yī bànHSK 1
一点儿yī diǎn erHSK 1
一下yī xiàHSK 2
一起yì qǐHSK 2
第一dì yīHSK 2
一共yī gòngHSK 3
一定yī dìngHSK 3

Words with 言

语言yǔ yánHSK 4
发言fā yánHSK 5
留言liú yánHSK 5
寓言yù yánHSK 6
序言xù yánHSK 6
方言fāng yánHSK 6
言论yán lùnHSK 6
言语

Words with 不

不要bù yàoHSK 1
不客气bú kè qiHSK 1
对不起duì bu qǐHSK 1
不错bù cuòHSK 2
不好意思bù hǎo yì siHSK 2
不久bù jiǔHSK 3
不但bù dànHSK 3

Words with 发

发烧fā shāoHSK 3
发现fā xiànHSK 3
头发tóu faHSK 3
出发chū fāHSK 4
发出fā chūHSK 4
发展fā zhǎnHSK 4
发生fā shēngHSK 4
发送

yán yǔ

HSK 6

不同

bù tóng

HSK 3

fā sòng

HSK 4