CHENGYU
自相矛盾(zì xiāng máo dùn)meaning, story and origin
- Register:
- neutral
- Source:
- 《韩非子·难一》
MEANING
- Literal
- one's own spear against one's own shield
- Figurative meaning
- self-contradictory
ORIGIN STORY
In the Han Feizi, a peddler claimed his shield could not be pierced and his spear could pierce anything. A bystander asked what would happen if his spear struck his own shield — the peddler had no answer.
NATURAL EQUIVALENT
“to contradict oneself”
EXAMPLES
他的说法前后自相矛盾。Tā de shuōfǎ qiánhòu zì xiāng máo dùn.HSK6
His statements contradict each other.
你刚说喜欢，又说讨厌，这不是自相矛盾吗？Nǐ gāng shuō xǐhuan, yòu shuō tǎoyàn, zhè bù shì zì xiāng máo dùn ma?HSK6
You said you liked it, then said you hated it — is that not contradictory?
COMMON MISTAKE
Watch out: 矛 (spear) and 盾 (shield) together also mean "contradiction" as an ordinary noun.
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TRUST & SOURCES
- Reviewed by
- AI-assisted editorial review
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-14
- CC-CEDICT 2026-01-01