不即不离

不即不離
bùjíbùlí
  1. to be neither too familiar nor too distant
  2. to keep sb at arm's length

CEDICT

neither familiar nor distant; keeping at arm's length (of a relationship with someone)

Wiktionary

佛教用语。谓众生和佛的关係，既不是等同，也不是两个个别体。《大方广圆觉修多罗了义经》：「不即不离，无缚无脱。」后多比喻对人的态度，既不亲近，也不疏远。如：「她不即不离的态度，让他苦恼万分。」

重編國語辭典

Entry Composition

1 不 bù
  1. no; not so
  2. (bound form) not; un-
2 即 jí
  1. namely
  2. that is
  3. i.e.
  4. prompt
  5. at once
  6. at present
  7. even if
  8. prompted (by the occasion)
  9. to approach
  10. to come into contact
  11. to assume (office)
  12. to draw near
3 不离 bùlí
  1. to be not much different from; to be about the same
  2. to not leave