吞吞吐吐

tūntūntǔtǔ
  1. to hum and haw (idiom); to mumble as if hiding sth
  2. to speak and break off, then start again
  3. to hold sth back

CEDICT

to mutter and mumble; to hum and haw; to stumble over one's words; to speak in a halting way

Wiktionary

形容說話不直截，要說不說的樣子。

重編國語辭典

說話不直截了當，要說不說的樣子

維基詞典

Entry Composition

1 吞 tūn
  1. to swallow
  2. to take
2 吞吐 tūntǔ to take in and send out (in large quantities)
3 吐 tǔ
  1. to spit
  2. to send out (silk from a silkworm, bolls from cotton flowers etc)
  3. to say
  4. to pour out (one's grievances)

Related entries

扣壓 kòuyā
  1. to withhold
  2. to hold sth back (and prevent it being known)
扣發 kòufā
  1. to deprive
  2. to withhold
  3. to hold sth back (and prevent it being known)