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To remain silent without speaking, often indicating deep thought, anger, or withdrawal.
面对质问，他不言不语，表情冷漠。
Facing the accusations, he remained silent, his expression cold.
她不言不语地收拾行李，准备离开。
She silently packed her luggage, preparing to leave.
Commonly used to describe someone who is deliberately not speaking, often due to emotional reasons like anger, sadness, or contemplation.
不言不语 often implies a deliberate choice to remain silent, rather than just being naturally quiet. Pay attention to the surrounding context to understand the speaker's emotional state.
This idiom is figurative—it does not mean 'not speaking about a specific topic' but rather 'remaining completely silent.'
The idiom originates from classical Chinese texts, combining two negative adverbs (不言, 不语) to emphasize complete silence. It first appeared in the Tang Dynasty and has been used in literature to depict characters who are emotionally withdrawn or contemplative.
This idiom is often used in narrative contexts to describe a person's emotional state or reaction. It can carry a neutral to slightly negative connotation, depending on the context.