7 Beat around the bush 兜圈子

Someone who doesn’t get to the point is said to ‘beat around the bush’. The origin of this phrase is, undoubtedly, from hunting, and more specifically from the hunting of boars. A ferocious animal, it often hid in the undergrowth and beaters were employed and ordered to go straight in to chase it out. But very much aware, and afraid, of the animals’ sharp tusks, they much preferred to merely ‘beat around the bush’ a practice strongly disapproved of by their masters.

那些讲话不说重点的人都在“绕圈子”。这个词的来历无疑是来自打猎，特别是打猎公猪。一种凶猛的动物，它经常躲在灌木丛里，于是人们请来了公猪的克星，让它笔直的冲进灌木将公猪逐出。但是出于对公猪锋利的长牙的警惕和恐惧，他们更喜欢绕着灌木“兜圈子”，严重违反了主人的指令。