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Word 1986 of 4449

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お茶を濁す

おちゃをにごす

to give an evasive answer

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Examples

  1. 質問にお茶を濁した。

    しつもんにおちゃをにごした。

    He gave an evasive answer to the question.

  2. 適当な返事でお茶を濁す。

    てきとうなへんじでおちゃをにごす。

    To fudge it with a noncommittal reply.

  3. 彼は笑ってお茶を濁した。

    かれはわらっておちゃをにごした。

    He laughed it off to avoid answering.

  4. 記者の追及に対し、大臣はお茶を濁すばかりだった。

    きしゃのついきゅうにたいし、だいじんはおちゃをにごすばかりだった。

    Faced with the reporters' questioning, the minister did nothing but dodge.

Common patterns

笑ってお茶を濁す
to laugh the question off
適当にお茶を濁す
to fudge one's way through
その場をお茶を濁してしのぐ
to bluff one's way past the moment

Memory tip

The story is of someone with no tea ceremony training stirring up cloudy tea to look as if they knew what they were doing. Do not confuse it with 言葉を濁す, which is specifically leaving your wording vague; お茶を濁す is bluffing your way through the whole situation.

Kanji in this word

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