silence; not speaking
Literary or formal term for silence or refraining from speech. Often appears in fixed expressions like 不言実行 (acting without speaking) or 不言のうちに (in silence).
He is a man of action, not words.
会議中、彼は終始不言を貫いた。
During the meeting, he remained silent the whole time.
silence; not saying a word
action before words; work before talk
Compound of 不 (not) and 言 (speech). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows a common Sino-Japanese pattern for negation.