Chinese word

不了了之

Pronunciation

Pinyinbù liǎo liǎo zhī

Meaning

  • idiomlet it go unresolved

Example

他把这件事不了了之了。tā bǎ zhè jiàn shì bù liáo liǎo zhī le

He let the matter go unresolved.

Illustration for 不了了之 (let it go unresolved)

More examples

不能因为困难就以不了了之收场，我们要继续调查。bù néng yīn wèi kùn nán jiù yǐ bù liáo liǎo zhī shōu chǎng wǒ men yào jì xù diào chá

We cannot end with the matter unresolved just because it is difficult; we must continue investigating.

Core concept

An open matter is pushed out of sight until it quietly stops receiving attention.

Common phrases

  • 以不了了之收场yǐ bù liáo liǎo zhī shōu chǎng

    end with the matter unresolved

  • 让事情不了了之ràng shì qíng bù liáo liǎo zhī

    let the matter go unresolved

Similar words

置之不理zhì zhī bù lǐ: Ignoring a request or problem and leaving it without any response or attention.
敷衍了事fū yán liǎo shì: Dealing with a matter superficially and cutting corners instead of solving it properly.
作罢zuò bà: Abandoning an action or plan and ending it without continuing.

Definition in Chinese

事情没有得到解决，也没有正式交代或处理，而是以搁置的方式结束。shì qíng méi yǒu dé dào jiě jué yě méi yǒu zhèng shì jiāo dài huò chú lǐ ér shì yǐ gē zhì de fāng shì jié shù

Word origin

不 (bù, "not") + 了 (liǎo, "finish") says that something is not completed, while 了 + 之 (zhī, "it") means finish it, forming a contrast between an unresolved matter and a supposed ending.

Usage tips

  • In conversation, the idiom often comments on a manager, office, or public body that stops following up, so it can sound accusatory rather than neutral.

Other meanings

  • shelveidiom
  • leave unattendedidiom

Opposites

Word lists with this word