只可意会，不可言传

zhǐ kě yì huì , bù kě yán chuán

Definitions

1. can be understood, but not described (idiom, from Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子[zhuāng zǐ]); mysterious and subtle

Child Words of 只可意会，不可言传

• 不 bù: no; not so
• 传 chuán: to pass on
• 传 zhuàn: biography
• 只 zhǐ: only
• 可 kě: can
• 会 kuài: to balance an account
• 只 zhī: grain that has begun to ripen
• 会 huì: can
• 不可 bù kě: cannot; should not; must not
• 可言 kě yán: it may be said
• 意 yì: idea
• 意会 yì huì: to sense
• 言 yán: words
• 言传 yán chuán: to convey in words