瓢ひょう箪たん鯰なまず

noun

slippery as an eel; elusive person

Idiomatic expression describing a person who is evasive, hard to pin down, or slippery in character. Literally 'gourd catfish', evoking the image of trying to catch a slippery catfish with a smooth gourd.

• あの政せい治じ家かは瓢ひょう箪たん鯰なまずで、質しつ問もんにまともに答こたえない。

  That politician is as slippery as an eel and never answers questions directly.