お茶を濁す

• Reading: おちゃをにごす
• Romaji: ocha wo nigosu
• Kanji breakdown: 茶 (cha) — tea; 濁 (daku/nigo) — muddy, turbid, unclear
• Pronunciation: /o̞.tɕa wo̞ ni.ɡo̞.sɯ/

Meaning

To be evasive; to give a vague answer; to fudge an issue. To muddy the waters rather than address something directly.

A verb phrase (Group 1 godan: 濁す) meaning to give a noncommittal answer or to deflect rather than confront an issue honestly. Conjugates as: 濁さない, 濁し, 濁す, 濁せ. The expression also carries the meaning of making something inadequate pass for adequate. Used when someone deflects a difficult question, covers up an inconvenient truth, or offers a superficial response in place of genuine engagement.

Examples

1. 記者の質問に対して、大臣はお茶を濁すような曖昧な答えしか返さなかった。 In response to the journalist's question, the minister gave only a vague, evasive answer.
2. 都合の悪いことを聞かれると、彼はいつもお茶を濁して逃げる。 Whenever he is asked something inconvenient, he always wriggles out of it with a non-answer.
3. お茶を濁しているようでは、相手の信頼を得ることはできない。 If you keep fudging issues like this, you will never gain the other party's trust.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, evasion, conversation, business

Tone: critical, wry

Origin & History

From tea ceremony: a practitioner without proper training might use already-used leaves to make murky (濁る) tea, passing it off as properly prepared. This act of substituting poor quality for genuine skill became the metaphor for evasive or superficial responses.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical-Modern

Generation: Adult

Social background: General