吞吞吐吐 tūntūntǔtǔ to hum and haw (idiom)
to hum and haw (idiom); to mumble as if hiding something; to speak and break off, then start again; to hold something back
How to remember 吞吞吐吐: 吞 to absorb + 吐 to vomit = to hum and haw (idiom).
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How it is used
- Idiom for hemming and hawing - speaking haltingly as if hiding something: 他说话吞吞吐吐 (tā shuōhuà tūntūntǔtǔ) he mumbled evasively.
- Reduplicated form of 吞 (swallow) and 吐 (spit out) - words half-swallowed, half-spoken. Vivid, colloquial; implies reluctance or concealment.