旁敲侧击

旁敲侧击 [páng qiāo cè jī]

1. ■ attack by innuendo; approach a subject without coming straight to the point; beat about [around] the bush; by means of devious questioning; by-stroke; fool round the stump; in a roundabout way; make a veiled attack; make innuendoes; make oblique references to; make oblique thrust(s)