1.
to equivocate; to be evasive; to give a vague answer
To deliberately avoid giving a clear or direct answer by speaking vaguely or ambiguously. The literal image is of 'muddying one's words,' making them unclear like cloudy water.
彼は言葉を濁した。
He gave a vague answer.
都合の悪い質問には言��を濁すことが多い。
People often give evasive answers to inconvenient questions.
記者に問い詰められても、大臣は言葉を濁して明確な回答を避けた。
Even when pressed by reporters, the minister equivocated and avoided giving a clear answer.
An idiomatic expression built on the verb 濁す (to make murky/cloudy). Just as stirring sediment clouds water, muddying one's words makes the intended meaning hard to discern.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 言葉を濁して...: speaking vaguely, (then)...
- 言葉を濁すばかりで: just equivocating without...
USAGE:
Usually describes someone being deliberately evasive, often in situations where they want to avoid responsibility or confrontation. It carries a mildly negative nuance, implying that the speaker is being dishonest or at least unhelpful.
SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:
- 口を濁す: same meaning — variant form using 口 instead of 言葉
- 曖昧にする: to make ambiguous — broader, can apply to things beyond speech
- 茶を濁す: to get by with a half-hearted effort — different meaning despite shared verb