一言不发

• 拼音: yī yán bù fā
• 汉字拆解: 一 = one (not even one); 言 = tongue + mouth components (articulated speech, words); 不 = negation; 发 = 弓 + 殳 (bow + tool — to emit, send out, utter)

含义

Not saying a word; without uttering a single syllable; completely silent in terms of speech. Describes a person who remains entirely silent in a situation where verbal response is expected.

Often used in narrative contexts for someone who is shocked, suppressing anger, stubbornly withholding comment, or making a point through silence. Similar to 一声不吭 but focuses specifically on articulated speech (言 = words/speech), while 一声不吭 covers all vocal sound. Silence here is typically expressive.

例句

1. 宣判结束后，被告一言不发地被法警带出法庭，家属区传来一阵低沉的哭泣声。
2. 面对媒体的追问，这位官员一言不发地钻进了黑色轿车，车窗紧闭，一路驶离了新闻发布会现场。
3. 他一言不发地坐在餐桌对面，把整碗汤喝完，然后起身离开，留下一个困惑不解的妻子。

用法指南

语境: narrative, literary, legal, interpersonal

语气: neutral

正确说法

• 峰会破裂后，首席谈判代表一言不发地离开了会议室，随行团队面色凝重，外界由此判断谈判已陷入根本性僵局。(After the summit collapsed, the chief negotiator left the conference room without saying a word, the accompanying team grim-faced; the outside world concluded from this that the negotiations had reached a fundamental impasse.)
• 被导师当众批评论文框架存在严重缺陷后，这位博士生一言不发地收起了演示材料，默默回到座位，但眼中已燃起了一股不服输的光芒。(After his thesis framework was publicly criticised by the supervisor as having serious flaws, the doctoral student said nothing, quietly put away the presentation materials, and returned silently to his seat — though a spark of defiant determination had already ignited in his eyes.)

错误说法

• 他一言不发地唱了一首歌 — 一言不发 means saying no words; singing is a form of vocal utterance that contradicts this; use 沉默不语 or 沉默寡言 for a generally quiet person, or 没有解释就 for 'without a word of explanation'

起源与历史

一 (one/a single) + 言 (word/speech — composed of components suggesting the tongue and articulation; spoken words) + 不 (not) + 发 (to emit/utter — 弓 + 殳; to send out, emit sounds or words)

文化背景

时代: Classical/Modern

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal