顧左右而言他 [顾－－－－－]

Jyutping gu3 zo2 jau6 ji4 jin4 taa1
Pinyin gù zuǒ yòu ér yán tā

Definitions (CC-CANTO)
  1. (literally: look at both sides and talk about something away from the topic) ; to speak evasively
Definitions (粵典–words.hk)
  1. 語句
    避開​主題​而​談論​第​啲​嘢
    to speak evasively; literally: look at both sides and talk about something away from the topic
Definitions (Wiktionary)
  1. phrase, idiomatic
    to try to change the subject of a conversation; to evade the subject under discussion and talk about other affairs; to steer clear of the crucial point
    (syn.) 支吾其詞, 支吾其词
    • 於是，他用眼角的餘光掃視了一下四周，發現旁邊太監也紛紛向他使眼色，便顧左右而言他，用“人自然是怕鬼”的話敷衍了事。
      于是，他用眼角的余光扫视了一下四周，发现旁边太监也纷纷向他使眼色，便顾左右而言他，用“人自然是怕鬼”的话敷衍了事。
      yú shì ， tā yòng yǎn jiǎo de yú guāng sǎo shì le yī xià sì zhōu ， fā xiàn páng biān tài jiān yě fēn fēn xiàng tā shǐ yǎn sè ， biàn gù zuǒ yòu ér yán tā ， yòng “ rén zì rán shì pà guǐ ” de huà fū yǎn liǎo shì ．
      Thus, he scanned the surroundings with his peripheral vision and discovered that the eunuch beside him kept winking at him, so he tried to dodge the question and ended the discussion perfunctorily by saying, "People are naturally afraid of ghosts."
Definitions (Kaifangcidian)
  1. （沒有對應漢語詞彙）
Examples (Wiktionary)
  1. Mandarin
    于是，他用眼角的余光扫视了一下四周，发现旁边太监也纷纷向他使眼色，便顾左右而言他，用“人自然是怕鬼”的话敷衍了事。
    於是，他用眼角的餘光掃視了一下四周，發現旁邊太監也紛紛向他使眼色，便顧左右而言他，用“人自然是怕鬼”的話敷衍了事。
    yú shì ， tā yòng yǎn jiǎo de yú guāng sǎo shì le yī xià sì zhōu ， fā xiàn páng biān tài jiān yě fēn fēn xiàng tā shǐ yǎn sè ， biàn gù zuǒ yòu ér yán tā ， yòng “ rén zì rán shì pà guǐ ” de huà fū yǎn liǎo shì ．
    • Thus, he scanned the surroundings with his peripheral vision and discovered that the eunuch beside him kept winking at him, so he tried to dodge the question and ended the discussion perfunctorily by saying, "People are naturally afraid of ghosts."