心照不宣

• Pinyin: xīn zhào bù xuān
• Hanzi breakdown: 心 (heart/mind) + 照 (understand clearly) + 不宣 (not declare) -> tacitly understood.

Meaning

Mutually understood without saying it out loud.

It describes tacit agreement, shared awareness, or an unspoken rule. The tone can be neutral, intimate, or critical depending on what is left unsaid.

Examples

1. 他们对这个安排心照不宣。 They had an unspoken understanding about this arrangement.
2. 老同事之间有些默契，心照不宣。 Old colleagues often have an understanding that needs no words.
3. 大家心照不宣地避开了那个话题。 Everyone silently avoided that topic.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, family, relationships

Tone: subtle, knowing

Do Say

• 这件事我们心照不宣。（We both understand this without saying it.）
• 有些规则大家心照不宣。（Some rules are tacitly understood by everyone.）

Don't Say

• 用心照不宣掩盖需要明确同意的事情。（Some matters need explicit consent or clarity.）

Common Mistakes

• Using it for private confusion; it means shared understanding, not uncertainty.

Origin & History

Traditional idiom built around the heart understanding clearly without declaration.

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional and contemporary

Generation: Broadly understood

Social background: Broadly used

Regional notes: Common across Mainland Chinese speech and writing.