Chinese word

很难说

Pronunciation

Pinyinhěn nán shuō

Meaning

  • adjectivehard to say

Example

他明天能不能来，很难说。tā míng tiān néng bù néng lái hěn nán shuō

Whether he can come tomorrow is hard to say.

Illustration for 很难说 (hard to say)

More examples

目前来看，这个项目能否成功，很难说。mù qián lái kàn zhè ge xiàng mù néng fǒu chéng gōng hěn nán shuō

For now, whether this project will succeed is hard to say.

Core concept

A firm answer held back because the facts do not yet point clearly one way.

Common phrases

  • 目前来看很难说mù qián lái kàn hěn nán shuō

    hard to say for now

  • 短期内很难说duǎn qī nèi hěn nán shuō

    hard to say in the short term

  • 能否来很难说néng fǒu lái hěn nán shuō

    whether they can come is hard to say

Similar words

不好说bù hǎo shuō: A clear answer is not easy to give when the result or reason is still unclear.
说不准shuō bù zhǔn: A prediction or judgment is uncertain and may or may not prove correct.
不一定bù yí dìng: A stated result is not certain to occur, because circumstances may lead to something else.

Definition in Chinese

表示对某事的判断缺乏足够依据而难以断言，常作为回避或保持中立态度的表达方式使用。biǎo shì duì mǒu shì de pàn duàn quē fá zú gòu yī jù ér nán yǐ duàn yán cháng zuò wéi huí bì huò bǎo chí zhōng lì tài dù de biǎo dá fāng shì shǐ yòng

Word origin

很 (hěn, "very") + 难 (nán, "difficult") + 说 (shuō, "say") literally frames speaking as very difficult, which develops into withholding a definite answer when the facts are insufficient.

Usage tips

  • In everyday questions about plans, this expression often leaves the outcome open, so it should not be heard as a hidden refusal or negative answer.

Other meanings

  • uncertainadjective

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word