Chinese word

敬而远之

Pronunciation

Pinyinjìng ér yuǎn zhī

Meaning

  • verbkeep one's distance

Example

对于那种流言，我选择敬而远之。duì yú nà zhǒng liú yán wǒ xuǎn zé jìng ér yuǎn zhī

I choose to keep my distance from that kind of rumor.

Illustration for 敬而远之 (keep one's distance)

More examples

在公共讨论中，为了避免冲突，他选择对有争议的话题敬而远之。zài gōng gòng tǎo lùn zhōng wèi le bì miǎn chōng tū tā xuǎn zé duì yǒu zhēng yì de huà tí jìng ér yuǎn zhī

In public discussions, to avoid conflict, he chooses to keep his distance from controversial topics.

Core concept

A polite form of distance that avoids both open hostility and close involvement.

Common phrases

  • 对有争议的话题敬而远之duì yǒu zhēng yì de huà tí jìng ér yuǎn zhī

    keep one's distance from controversial topics

  • 对陌生人敬而远之duì mò shēng rén jìng ér yuǎn zhī

    keep one's distance from strangers

Similar words

回避huí bì: Deliberately staying out of direct contact with a person or problem.
远离yuǎn lí: Staying away from a place or person in body or in mind.
避开bì kāi: Steering clear of a certain person, situation, or topic.
疏远shū yuǎn: Growing more distant from someone as the relationship weakens and contact decreases.

Definition in Chinese

以尊重的态度对待对象，但主动回避接近或深交，常用于表达不愿深入参与或牵连的立场。yǐ zūn zhòng de tài dù duì dài duì xiàng dàn zhǔ dòng huí bì jiē jìn huò shēn jiāo cháng yòng yú biǎo dá bú yuàn shēn rù cān yù huò qiān lián de lì chǎng

Word origin

The components 敬 (jìng, "respect") + 而 (ér, "and") + 远 (yuǎn, "keep distant") + 之 (zhī, "it") form a compact classical pattern in which respectful treatment and social distance coexist.

Usage tips

  • The idiom has a literary tone, so simpler expressions are often more natural when casual conversation calls for staying away.

Other meanings

  • avoidverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word