# 一言难尽

yī yán nán jìn

Too complicated to explain briefly

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Difficult to finish in one utterance

**Traditional Chinese:** 一言難盡

**Register:** General · spoken & written

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

## When to use it

Introduce an account that needs more context.

It need not imply a serious or unpleasant situation.

## The image & its use

Some experiences contain too many connected details for a quick answer. This expression signals that a short reply would leave out something important. It can concern a long journey, the development of a project, or how someone chose a subject to study. The speaker often follows it with a fuller account or suggests another time to explain. Give enough context to remain helpful instead of using complexity as a permanent reason to avoid answering.

## Examples

这次搬家的经过一言难尽。

### Traditional Chinese

這次搬家的經過一言難盡。

zhè cì bān jiā de jīng guò yī yán nán jìn 。

The story of this move is difficult to explain briefly.

这个设计为什么改了，真是一言难尽。

### Traditional Chinese

這個設計為什麼改了，真是一言難盡。

zhè ge shè jì wèi shén me gǎi le ， zhēn shì yī yán nán jìn 。

Why the design changed takes more than a brief explanation.

我们合作的过程一言难尽，改天慢慢聊。

### Traditional Chinese

我們合作的過程一言難盡，改天慢慢聊。

wǒ men hé zuò de guò chéng yī yán nán jìn ， gǎi tiān màn màn liáo 。

Our collaboration has a long story; let us discuss it another day.

这道题的来历一言难尽。

### Traditional Chinese

這道題的來歷一言難盡。

zhè dào tí de lái lì yī yán nán jìn 。

The background to this problem is too involved for a short answer.

## 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=1058&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E4%B8%80%E8%A8%80%E9%9B%A3%E7%9B%A1)

## Keep exploring

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- [有教无类 yǒu jiào wú lèi Offer education without excluding people by background ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/you-jiao-wu-lei)

- [有口皆碑 yǒu kǒu jiē bēi Enjoy widespread praise ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/you-kou-jie-bei)

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