to be neither too familiar nor too distant; to keep sb at arm's length
trad. 不即不離
Also written 不即不離【bù jí bù lí】
Characters in this word
3不
Strokes: KanjiVG, CC BY-SA 3.0
no; not so, (bound form) not; un-
- Pinyin
- bù
- Strokes
- 4
- Frequency
- 9 of 2500
即
Strokes: KanjiVG, CC BY-SA 3.0
namely, that is, i.e., prompt, at once, at present, even if, prompted (by the occasion), to approach, to come into contact, to assume (office), to draw near
- Pinyin
- jí
- Strokes
- 7
- Frequency
- 2687 of 2500
离
Strokes: KanjiVG, CC BY-SA 3.0
mythical beast (archaic)
- Pinyin
- chī
- Strokes
- 10
- Frequency
- 948 of 2500