xīn心heartzhào照understandbù不notxuān宣announce
An understanding reached without words; a tacit agreement.
Literal meaning
heart (心) — understand (照) — not (不) — announce (宣)
Origin
A classical four-character phrase.
Examples
Tā他men们zhī之jiān间xīn心zhào照bù不xuān宣，bǐ彼cǐ此dōu都zhī知dào道duì对fāng方de的xiǎng想fǎ法。
They have a tacit understanding; they both know what the other is thinking.
Duì对yú于zhè这ge个wèn问tí题，wǒ我men们xīn心zhào照bù不xuān宣，dōu都bù不yuàn愿yì意tí提qǐ起。
Regarding this issue, we have a tacit agreement not to mention it.
Usage & nuances
Describes a situation where there is a mutual understanding without explicit communication.
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