<p>Depending on context, <strong>暧昧</strong>[pronounced as <strong>ài</strong> mèi] can take on a few meanings. The following is quoted from <a href="http://baike.baidu.com/subview/5960/4940139.htm">Baidu</a> with some explanations in English:</p>

<ol>
<li>（态度、用意）含糊；不明白。(attitude or intent is unclear or incomprehensible)</li>
<li>（行为）不光明；不可告人。(behavior is dishonorable or secretive, like having an illicit affair)</li>
<li>男女或同性肉体关系还处于想象段。(at the non-physical stage of a relationship, that is, in between friendship and intimate relationship)</li>
<li>男女或同性关系还未发展到恋人关系，但是行为举止和恋人关系差不多。(same as 3)</li>
</ol>

<p>暧昧 is usually used to describe a kind of ambiguous relationship that is neither here nor there. It is not necessarily a negative word.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-21T01:25:47.800Z
也有“言辞暧昧”的说法，意思是"语焉不详"
Joseph S WU
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-28T12:06:54.700Z
2013-10-28T12:13:22.503Z
2013-10-28T12:13:22.503Z
杨以轩
<p>(someone1) flirt with (someone2).
玩暧昧，玩调情</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-05T01:49:53.140Z
But flirt is a kind of action. 暧昧 is a kind of state between  romance relationship and friendship.
Yi Jiang
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-05T03:21:35.427Z
Haha, "暧昧" means the relationship is hard to explain clearly, it sometimes means "微妙", sometimes means the feeling of love between two people related to that;)
xqMogvKW
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-28T10:26:00.273Z
2013-10-28T10:26:00.273Z
xqMogvKW
<p>暧昧 is a kind of relationship between women and men; it exists in friendship, but the degree is higher than friendship; it’s almost love but has not become love yet.</p>
<p>I don’t think there is a perfect English word which can perfectly express its meaning.  Actually, we can’t always find a correct word which has the exact same meaning in another language.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2013-10-31T02:57:23.873Z
2020-08-05T14:21:44.527Z
2020-08-05T14:21:44.527Z
TaraWordoor
<p>I'd say its similar to being flirtatious with someone, but it's more Chinese culture related.</p>

<p>Because Chinese culture puts emphasis on being indirect, the relationship between a men and women can be somewhat unclear. 暧昧 describes the relationship of two people between "friendship" and "partnership". Think of two people with mutual affection but haven't told each other their feelings. I know it is also common in western world but I would say it exists more in Chinese couples.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-04T23:21:19.827Z
2013-11-04T23:21:19.827Z
Yue Y
<p>Common ways of 暧昧 use:
When you see a guy and a girl are flirting with each other but they denied that they are in a relationship. You call that 暧昧. </p>

<p>It means the relationship of two people that you assume they are feeling affectionate towards each other. </p>

<p>To me, ambiguity is not right word for that.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-05T15:14:07.353Z
2013-12-05T15:14:07.353Z
tipsywacky
<p>I think &quot;suggestive&quot; is a good alternative.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-30T19:00:37.267Z
2020-07-30T19:00:37.267Z
Lynn W
<p>This is an old question! I was young and handsome back then! It all went pear-shaped!!</p>
<p>I would define 暧昧 like this: A close, possibly sexual, relationship, in which the parties do not openly declare their positions. Thus, ambiguous by dint of dearth of information.</p>
<p>他们的关系很暧昧。<br />
Their relationship is very close, but apparently they are not a couple.</p>
<p>谣传他们之间关系暧昧。<br />
Rumour has it they are having an affair.</p>
<p>他态度非常友好，但是态度暧昧。<br />
His attitude is very friendly, but noncommittal.</p>
<p>我们离暧昧很近，可是离爱情，似乎又好远。<br />
We're close to being close friends, but far from being lovers.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-31T09:04:51.463Z
2020-07-31T09:04:51.463Z
Pedroski
<p>In the context of relationships, a ShuoshuoChinese说说中文 YouTube video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQAwue5DJdk" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>These Chinese Concepts Are Totally Different from Western Culture! -Chinese DATING Words and Culture</em></a> (starting ~1:07) describes 暧昧:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/vCZMq.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/vCZMq.png" alt="ShuoshuoChinese说说中文 screenshot showing their description of 暧昧" /></a></p>
<p>The ambiguous and non-physical stage in a relationship, it is in between friendship and intimate relationship.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The example they give is:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>最近我在跟一个男的<strong>暧昧</strong>，<br />
I'm &quot;<strong>aimeiing</strong>&quot; with this guy recently,</p>
<p>你看，这是他发给我的。<br />
Look he sent me this.</p>
<p>你觉得他怎么想？<br />
What do you think he meant by this?</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-31T01:56:37.863Z
2020-07-31T01:56:37.863Z
Becky 李蓓
<p>I would change upon different circumstances. When it's about a state of relationship, I would say amorous ambiguity, but when it's an adjective I would say it's blurred, ambiguous, or unclear.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-12T03:15:46.217Z
2016-04-12T03:15:46.217Z
IDK
<p>Personally it is a "shady relationship", although I am not a local english speaker.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-29T02:13:35.237Z
I'd like to use the word 'ambiguous'. Shady has negative connotations.
deutschZuid
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-28T10:28:18.393Z
2013-10-28T10:28:18.393Z
bo zhang
<p>Many dictionaries translate it to "ambiguity",but it looks so indefinitely.</p>

<p>I'm looking for more expressive answer.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-12T10:29:31.313Z
maybe you can adopt the facebook wording "complicated relationship"
wilson
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-30T20:59:43.710Z
Incidentally, "ambiguity" in the sense of multiple possible meanings/interpretations of a statement is 歧义.
Lionel Rowe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-05T07:38:11.567Z
What do you mean by "it looks so indefinitely"? As a native English speaker I'm having trouble parsing this phrase.
hippietrail
<translation><vocabulary>
How to translate "暧昧" into English?
# How to translate "暧昧" into English?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-10-28)

Many dictionaries translate it to "ambiguity",but it looks so indefinitely.

I'm looking for more expressive answer.

**Tags:** translation, vocabulary

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: What do you mean by "it looks so indefinitely"? As a native English speaker I'm having trouble parsing this phrase.  
> **username_1**: maybe you can adopt the facebook wording "complicated relationship"  
> **username_2**: Incidentally, "ambiguity" in the sense of multiple possible meanings/interpretations of a statement is 歧义.  

---

## 10 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2013-10-28. Score: 11

Depending on context, **暧昧**[pronounced as **ài** mèi] can take on a few meanings. The following is quoted from [Baidu](http://baike.baidu.com/subview/5960/4940139.htm) with some explanations in English:

1. （态度、用意）含糊；不明白。(attitude or intent is unclear or incomprehensible)
2. （行为）不光明；不可告人。(behavior is dishonorable or secretive, like having an illicit affair)
3. 男女或同性肉体关系还处于想象段。(at the non-physical stage of a relationship, that is, in between friendship and intimate relationship)
4. 男女或同性关系还未发展到恋人关系，但是行为举止和恋人关系差不多。(same as 3)

暧昧 is usually used to describe a kind of ambiguous relationship that is neither here nor there. It is not necessarily a negative word.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: 也有“言辞暧昧”的说法，意思是"语焉不详"  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2013-10-28. Score: 3

(someone1) flirt with (someone2).
玩暧昧，玩调情

> **Comments:**
> **username_7**: But flirt is a kind of action. 暧昧 is a kind of state between  romance relationship and friendship.  
> **username_6**: Haha, "暧昧" means the relationship is hard to explain clearly, it sometimes means "微妙", sometimes means the feeling of love between two people related to that;)  

---

### Answer by username_8 on 2013-10-31. Score: 2

暧昧 is a kind of relationship between women and men; it exists in friendship, but the degree is higher than friendship; it’s almost love but has not become love yet.

I don’t think there is a perfect English word which can perfectly express its meaning. Actually, we can’t always find a correct word which has the exact same meaning in another language.


---

### Answer by username_9 on 2013-11-04. Score: 1

I'd say its similar to being flirtatious with someone, but it's more Chinese culture related.

Because Chinese culture puts emphasis on being indirect, the relationship between a men and women can be somewhat unclear. 暧昧 describes the relationship of two people between "friendship" and "partnership". Think of two people with mutual affection but haven't told each other their feelings. I know it is also common in western world but I would say it exists more in Chinese couples.


---

### Answer by username_10 on 2013-12-05. Score: 1

Common ways of 暧昧 use:
When you see a guy and a girl are flirting with each other but they denied that they are in a relationship. You call that 暧昧.

It means the relationship of two people that you assume they are feeling affectionate towards each other.

To me, ambiguity is not right word for that.


---

### Answer by username_11 on 2020-07-30. Score: 0

I think "suggestive" is a good alternative.


---

### Answer by username_12 on 2020-07-31. Score: 0

This is an old question! I was young and handsome back then! It all went pear-shaped!!

I would define 暧昧 like this: A close, possibly sexual, relationship, in which the parties do not openly declare their positions. Thus, ambiguous by dint of dearth of information.

他们的关系很暧昧。  
Their relationship is very close, but apparently they are not a couple.

谣传他们之间关系暧昧。  
Rumour has it they are having an affair.

他态度非常友好，但是态度暧昧。  
His attitude is very friendly, but noncommittal.

我们离暧昧很近，可是离爱情，似乎又好远。  
We're close to being close friends, but far from being lovers.


---

### Answer by username_13 on 2020-07-31. Score: 0

In the context of relationships, a ShuoshuoChinese说说中文 YouTube video [*These Chinese Concepts Are Totally Different from Western Culture! -Chinese DATING Words and Culture*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQAwue5DJdk) (starting ~1:07) describes 暧昧:

> [![ShuoshuoChinese说说中文 screenshot showing their description of 暧昧](https://i.sstatic.net/vCZMq.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/vCZMq.png)
>
> The ambiguous and non-physical stage in a relationship, it is in between friendship and intimate relationship.

The example they give is:

> 最近我在跟一个男的**暧昧**，  
> I'm "**aimeiing**" with this guy recently,
>
> 你看，这是他发给我的。  
> Look he sent me this.
>
> 你觉得他怎么想？  
> What do you think he meant by this?


---

### Answer by username_14 on 2016-04-12. Score: -1

I would change upon different circumstances. When it's about a state of relationship, I would say amorous ambiguity, but when it's an adjective I would say it's blurred, ambiguous, or unclear.


---

### Answer by username_15 on 2013-10-28. Score: -1

Personally it is a "shady relationship", although I am not a local english speaker.

> **Comments:**
> **username_16**: I'd like to use the word 'ambiguous'. Shady has negative connotations.  

---

