# 唯唯诺诺

wéi wéi nuò nuò

Agree timidly without expressing one's own view

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Say yes repeatedly

**Traditional Chinese:** 唯唯諾諾

**Register:** General · spoken & written

[People & connection](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/relationships)

## When to use it

Describe excessive compliance or hesitant agreement.

It is critical; quiet listening is not necessarily agreement.

## The image & its use

A useful discussion needs more than everyone repeating yes. This expression describes agreement so compliant that a person's own judgment seems absent. It may come from uncertainty, a wish to please, or an uncomfortable setting. The phrase can sound critical, so identify the actual behavior rather than assuming that a quiet person has no ideas. Clear questions and room to disagree can improve the discussion. Thoughtful agreement, after consideration, is different from agreeing automatically to whatever has just been said.

## Examples

讨论方案时，不必唯唯诺诺，可以提出自己的想法。

### Traditional Chinese

討論方案時，不必唯唯諾諾，可以提出自己的想法。

tǎo lùn fāng àn shí ， bú bì wéi wéi nuò nuò ， kě yǐ tí chū zì jǐ de xiǎng fǎ 。

You need not simply agree timidly when discussing the plan; offer your own ideas.

他总是唯唯诺诺，大家反而不知道他的真实意见。

### Traditional Chinese

他總是唯唯諾諾，大家反而不知道他的真實意見。

tā zǒng shì wéi wéi nuò nuò ， dà jiā fǎn ér bù zhī dào tā de zhēn shí yì jiàn 。

His repeated compliant agreement leaves others unsure of his actual view.

她学会了礼貌表达不同意见，不再唯唯诺诺。

### Traditional Chinese

她學會了禮貌表達不同意見，不再唯唯諾諾。

tā xué huì le lǐ mào biǎo dá bù tóng yì jiàn ， bú zài wéi wéi nuò nuò 。

She learned to express disagreement politely instead of agreeing timidly.

认真倾听与唯唯诺诺是两回事。

### Traditional Chinese

認真傾聽與唯唯諾諾是兩回事。

rèn zhēn qīng tīng yǔ wéi wéi nuò nuò shì liǎng huí shì 。

Careful listening and timid, automatic agreement are different things.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 7, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=1183&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E5%94%AF%E5%94%AF%E8%AB%BE%E8%AB%BE)

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