bù不notliǎo了endliǎo了endzhī之it
To leave something unfinished; to fizzle out; to drop the matter.
Literal meaning
not (不) — end (了) — end (了) — it (之)
Origin
A classical four-character phrase describing an unresolved situation.
Examples
Zhè这jiàn件shì事zuì最hòu后bù不liǎo了liǎo了zhī之le了。
The matter was eventually dropped.
Tā他men们de的zhēng争chǎo吵bù不liǎo了liǎo了zhī之。
Their argument fizzled out.
Usage & nuances
Often implies a lack of resolution or a deliberate avoidance of a conclusion.
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