只可意会，不可言传

只可意會，不可言傳
zhǐkěyìhuì,bùkěyánchuán
can be understood, but not described (idiom, from Zhuangzi 庄子 Zhuāngzǐ); mysterious and subtle

CEDICT

Entry Composition

=1 只 zhǐ only; merely; just
=1 只 zhǐ variant of 只 zhǐ
=1 只 zhǐ variant of 只 zhǐ
2 可 kě
  1. (prefix) can; may; able to; -able
  2. to approve; to permit
  3. to suit
  4. (particle used for emphasis) certainly; very
  5. but; however
3 意会 yìhuì
  1. to sense
  2. to grasp intuitively
4 不可 bùkě cannot; should not; must not
5 言传 yánchuán to convey in words

Related entries

可以意会，不可言传 kěyǐyìhuì,bùkěyánchuán can be understood, but not described (idiom, from Zhuangzi 庄子 Zhuāngzǐ); mysterious and subtle