<blockquote>
  <p>“I am not at liberty to say” or “I am not at liberty to discuss”</p>
</blockquote>

<p>(這個/ 這件事) 我不方便說 = (This/ on this topic,) I am not at liberty to talk</p>

<p>(這個/ 這件事) 我不方便討論 = (This/ on this topic,) I am not at liberty to discuss</p>

<p>'不方便' literally means 'not convenient'  (as an adverb, it means ‘cannot conveniently) - it implies 'cannot freely'. It is a polite way to refuse to make any comment </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-28T20:15:13.620Z
2018-09-28T21:15:05.630Z
2018-09-28T21:15:05.630Z
Tang Ho
<p>Here’s an alternative option, albeit a bit cheeky:</p>

<p><strong>天机不可泄露</strong></p>

<p><em><a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&amp;wdrst=0&amp;wdqtm=0&amp;wdqcham=2&amp;wdqt=%E5%A4%A9%E6%9C%BA%E4%B8%8D%E5%8F%AF%E6%B3%84%E9%9C%B2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CC-CEDICT</a></em> does, actually, define it:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>I am not at liberty to inform you. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>——</p>

<p>You could also consider:</p>

<p><strong>无可奉告</strong></p>

<p>Which <em><a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&amp;wdrst=0&amp;wdqtm=0&amp;wdqcham=2&amp;wdqt=%E6%97%A0%E5%8F%AF%E5%A5%89%E5%91%8A*" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CC-CEDICT</a></em> defines as:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>(idiom) "no comment"</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-30T04:29:38.777Z
saying 天机不可泄露 instead of  這事我不便透露 is like saying 山人自有妙計 instead of 我自有辦法
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-29T04:54:04.943Z
2018-09-30T02:23:13.680Z
2018-09-30T02:23:13.680Z
Mou某
<p>It occurs to me that this would be an useful phrase to politely decline someone who is trying to pry.  I'm l a beginner, so it's hard for me know how to translate this.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-28T23:56:26.523Z
see online dictionaries, e.g. iciba  http://www.iciba.com/not%20at%20liberty
user6065
<translation><meaning-in-context>
How would I go about saying: "I am not at liberty to say" or "I am not at liberty to discuss"
# How would I go about saying: "I am not at liberty to say" or "I am not at liberty to discuss"

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-09-28)

It occurs to me that this would be an useful phrase to politely decline someone who is trying to pry. I'm l a beginner, so it's hard for me know how to translate this.

**Tags:** translation, meaning-in-context

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: see online dictionaries, e.g. iciba  http://www.iciba.com/not%20at%20liberty  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-09-28. Score: 1

> “I am not at liberty to say” or “I am not at liberty to discuss”

(這個/ 這件事) 我不方便說 = (This/ on this topic,) I am not at liberty to talk

(這個/ 這件事) 我不方便討論 = (This/ on this topic,) I am not at liberty to discuss

'不方便' literally means 'not convenient' (as an adverb, it means ‘cannot conveniently) - it implies 'cannot freely'. It is a polite way to refuse to make any comment


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### Answer by username_3 on 2018-09-29. Score: 0

Here’s an alternative option, albeit a bit cheeky:

**天机不可泄露**

*[CC-CEDICT](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqtm=0&wdqcham=2&wdqt=%E5%A4%A9%E6%9C%BA%E4%B8%8D%E5%8F%AF%E6%B3%84%E9%9C%B2)* does, actually, define it:

> I am not at liberty to inform you.

——

You could also consider:

**无可奉告**

Which *[CC-CEDICT](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqtm=0&wdqcham=2&wdqt=%E6%97%A0%E5%8F%AF%E5%A5%89%E5%91%8A*)* defines as:

> (idiom) "no comment"

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: saying 天机不可泄露 instead of  這事我不便透露 is like saying 山人自有妙計 instead of 我自有辦法  

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