📖 Meaning
Refers to the subtle, profound meaning that is implied but not explicitly stated in one's words. It describes the deeper resonance or lingering aftertaste of speech or writing that goes beyond the literal surface meaning, inviting the listener or reader to grasp the unspoken intent.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the work 'Renjian Cihua' (人间词话, 'Poetic Remarks in the Human World') by the late Qing dynasty scholar Wang Guowei (王国维). In section 22, Wang evaluates the Southern Song dynasty poet Jiang Kui (姜夔, also known as Baishi 白石), remarking that among ancient and modern ci poets, none surpass Baishi in stylistic elegance. However, Wang criticizes him for not exerting effort on artistic conception (意境), lamenting that his poetry consequently lacks implied flavor beyond the words and resonance beyond the strings, thus ultimately falling to second-rate status. The phrase '言外之味' (flavor beyond words) was coined in this critique to champion the aesthetic ideal of implicit, suggestive meaning.
💡 Example Usage
他这番话虽简短，却颇有言外之味。
Though his remarks were brief, they carried a deep, unspoken implication.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 言外之味
- Pinyin: yán wài zhī wèi
- Literal Translation: words, beyond, of, flavor
- Category: Communication
- Characters: 4