Meaning of mamihlapinatapai | Babel Free

Definitions

A situation in which all participants want something to be done, but none want to do it.

uncountable

Examples

“By contrast, if that same face looks away from us, the activity in this area diminishes, lire heightened dopamine activity is not rooted in the attractiveness of the gazer per se, but in the potential for interaction signaled by eye contact, mamihlapinatapei.”

“The Volunteer's Dilemma, or mamihlapinatapai, is a game of Chicken with many participants.”

“As two people stand at a doorway each gesturing 'After you', that is mamihlapinatapai.”

“We knew of this, the secret language grew between my yearning, between her submission, temporary and fleeting, only to be caught again. And there was that word; Mamihlapinatapai”

“Mamihlapinatapai. A naming word. It meant the wordless, yet meaningful look shared by two people who both desire to initiate something but are both reluctant to start.”

CEFR level