<p>半推半就 - half refuse, half comply = somewhat reluctant but complied nonetheless</p>
<blockquote>
<p>When would one use 半推半就?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It describes an act of &quot;offering mild resistance at first but eventually relent and accept or complies&quot;</p>
<p>Example:</p>
<p>半推半就(地)當了班代表 = somewhat reluctant, but accept the class representative position nonetheless</p>
<p>半推半就(地)跟著他走了 = somewhat reluctant, but follow him and go nonetheless</p>
<p>(either you didn't refuse firmly enough or the persuasion was too strong)</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Is it derogatory?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>no, it is neutral</p>
<blockquote>
<p>我們半推半就的人生</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Our lives that full of compromise</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-19T18:38:19.670Z
Sorry to be a bother, just want to be thorough: What do you mean with "Our lives that full of compromise" ?
Eric Wu
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-18T20:57:03.543Z
2024-04-18T21:11:45.170Z
2024-04-18T21:11:45.170Z
Tang Ho
<p>半推半就 : 用以形容人物在半推半就的状态下的情感反应。<br />
half willing, half unwilling: used to describe a person's emotional response of being in a half willing, half unwilling state.</p>
<p>推：抵拒，推托；  resist, make excuses<br />
就：靠拢，迎上去。draw close to, welcome<br />
半推半就 :一面推辞，一面靠拢上去。On the one hand decline, on the other hand draw close to.</p>
<p>檀口揾香腮:<br />
sandalwood mouth touches fragrant cheeks:<br />
具体来说，<br />
specifically,<br />
它描述了一种既惊讶又爱慕的情绪，<br />
it describes a kind of both surprised and adoring mood,<br />
通过“檀口揾香腮”这一形象化的语言，<br />
by means of &quot;sandalwood mouth touch fragrant cheek&quot; this vivid language,<br />
传达了人物内心的复杂感受。<br />
(it) passes on a persons complex inner feelings,<br />
这里的“檀口”和“香腮”分别指代美丽的嘴唇和脸颊，<br />
here &quot;sandalwood mouth&quot; and &quot;fragrant cheek&quot; respectively refer to beautiful lips and cheeks,<br />
而“揾”则有轻抚或轻触的意思，整体上描绘了一种温柔而含蓄的情感表达。<br />
and &quot;touch&quot; means caress or lightly touch,<br />
整体上描绘了一种温柔而含蓄的情感表达。<br />
all together (it) describes and contains the meaning of an expression of a kind of soft warm feeling.</p>
<p>【出处】元·王实甫《西厢记》第四本第一折：“半推半就，又惊又爱，檀口揾香腮。”
【source】Yuan dynasty (1279-1368) Wáng Shífǔ's fourth book 《Romance of the West Chamber》fourth book, first volume: &quot;half willing half unwilling&quot; both surprised and adoring, beautiful lips and fragrant cheeks.</p>
<p>I think the guy likes the girl!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-19T06:24:14.707Z
2024-04-19T06:24:14.707Z
Pedroski
<p>The full meaning of &quot;半推(half deny)半就(half willing)&quot; is &quot;willing to accept something at heart but pretending to refuse/reject through half-hearted action&quot;. An equivalent phrase is &quot;假意推辞/拒绝(faked refuse)&quot;.</p>
<p>The phrase itself is not derogatory but the context could be:</p>
<ul>
<li>經不住挑逗, 她半推半就的和他去了汽車旅館 - Can't endure the seduction, she faked refusal but accompanied him to the motel anyway.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-19T18:41:08.333Z
假意推辞 is definitely an idiom I've heard at home. Thanks for providing an equivalent phrase!
Eric Wu
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-18T21:10:19.703Z
2024-04-18T21:10:19.703Z
r13
<p>I came across this verse in a taiwanese rock band music, and I'm not entirely sure what it means:</p>
<p>我們半推半就的人生</p>
<p>Google translates 半推半就 as &quot;The life we ​​live half-heartedly&quot; but it's the first time I ever heard this idiom. (Context: I'm a brazilian with taiwanese heritage person, with a decent spoken knowledge, but with barely any in written form).</p>
<p>When would one use 半推半就? Is it derogatory?</p>

<idioms>
In what context can "半推半就" be used?
# In what context can "半推半就" be used?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-04-18)

I came across this verse in a taiwanese rock band music, and I'm not entirely sure what it means:

我們半推半就的人生

Google translates 半推半就 as "The life we ​​live half-heartedly" but it's the first time I ever heard this idiom. (Context: I'm a brazilian with taiwanese heritage person, with a decent spoken knowledge, but with barely any in written form).

When would one use 半推半就? Is it derogatory?

**Tags:** idioms


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2024-04-18. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

The full meaning of "半推(half deny)半就(half willing)" is "willing to accept something at heart but pretending to refuse/reject through half-hearted action". An equivalent phrase is "假意推辞/拒绝(faked refuse)".

The phrase itself is not derogatory but the context could be:

* 經不住挑逗, 她半推半就的和他去了汽車旅館 - Can't endure the seduction, she faked refusal but accompanied him to the motel anyway.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: 假意推辞 is definitely an idiom I've heard at home. Thanks for providing an equivalent phrase!  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2024-04-18. Score: 1

半推半就 - half refuse, half comply = somewhat reluctant but complied nonetheless

> When would one use 半推半就?

It describes an act of "offering mild resistance at first but eventually relent and accept or complies"

Example:

半推半就(地)當了班代表 = somewhat reluctant, but accept the class representative position nonetheless

半推半就(地)跟著他走了 = somewhat reluctant, but follow him and go nonetheless

(either you didn't refuse firmly enough or the persuasion was too strong)

> Is it derogatory?

no, it is neutral

> 我們半推半就的人生

Our lives that full of compromise

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Sorry to be a bother, just want to be thorough: What do you mean with "Our lives that full of compromise" ?  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-04-19. Score: 0

半推半就 : 用以形容人物在半推半就的状态下的情感反应。  
half willing, half unwilling: used to describe a person's emotional response of being in a half willing, half unwilling state.

推：抵拒，推托； resist, make excuses  
就：靠拢，迎上去。draw close to, welcome  
半推半就 :一面推辞，一面靠拢上去。On the one hand decline, on the other hand draw close to.

檀口揾香腮:  
sandalwood mouth touches fragrant cheeks:  
具体来说，  
specifically,  
它描述了一种既惊讶又爱慕的情绪，  
it describes a kind of both surprised and adoring mood,  
通过“檀口揾香腮”这一形象化的语言，  
by means of "sandalwood mouth touch fragrant cheek" this vivid language,  
传达了人物内心的复杂感受。  
(it) passes on a persons complex inner feelings,  
这里的“檀口”和“香腮”分别指代美丽的嘴唇和脸颊，  
here "sandalwood mouth" and "fragrant cheek" respectively refer to beautiful lips and cheeks,  
而“揾”则有轻抚或轻触的意思，整体上描绘了一种温柔而含蓄的情感表达。  
and "touch" means caress or lightly touch,  
整体上描绘了一种温柔而含蓄的情感表达。  
all together (it) describes and contains the meaning of an expression of a kind of soft warm feeling.

【出处】元·王实甫《西厢记》第四本第一折：“半推半就，又惊又爱，檀口揾香腮。”
【source】Yuan dynasty (1279-1368) Wáng Shífǔ's fourth book 《Romance of the West Chamber》fourth book, first volume: "half willing half unwilling" both surprised and adoring, beautiful lips and fragrant cheeks.

I think the guy likes the girl!


---

