Chinese Fable

自相矛盾🔊

Zì Xiāng Máo Dùn
📚 Fables⏱ 3 min read🎧 Audio

This fable describes a contradiction in one's own argument.

The Story 🔊

Gǔ shíhou yǒu gè rén zài jíshì shàng mài máo hé dùn
古时候Gǔ shíhou🔊,有个人yǒu gè rén🔊在zài🔊集市上jíshì shàng🔊卖mài🔊矛máo🔊和hé🔊盾dùn🔊。
Tā jǔ qǐ dùn shuō wǒ de dùn fēicháng jiāngù shénme dōngxi dōu cì bù chuān tā
他Tā🔊举起jǔ qǐ🔊盾dùn🔊说shuō🔊:我的wǒ de🔊盾dùn🔊非常fēicháng🔊坚固jiāngù🔊,什么东西shénme dōngxi🔊都dōu🔊刺不穿cì bù chuān🔊它tā🔊。
Ránhòu tā yòu jǔ qǐ máo shuō wǒ de máo fēicháng fēnglì shénme dōngxi dōu néng cì chuān
然后Ránhòu🔊他tā🔊又yòu🔊举起jǔ qǐ🔊矛máo🔊说shuō🔊:我的wǒ de🔊矛máo🔊非常fēicháng🔊锋利fēnglì🔊,什么东西shénme dōngxi🔊都能dōu néng🔊刺穿cì chuān🔊。
Yǒu rén wèn tā yòng nǐ de máo qù cì nǐ de dùn huì zěnmeyàng ne
有人Yǒu rén🔊问他wèn tā🔊:用你的yòng nǐ de🔊矛máo🔊去刺qù cì🔊你的nǐ de🔊盾dùn🔊,会怎么样呢huì zěnmeyàng ne🔊?
Nà gè rén dá bù shàng lái fēicháng gāngà
那个人Nà gè rén🔊答不上来dá bù shàng lái🔊,非常fēicháng🔊尴尬gāngà🔊。
English Translation:
In ancient times, a man was selling spears and shields in the market. He held up his shield and said: "My shield is very strong, nothing can pierce it." Then he held up his spear and said: "My spear is very sharp, it can pierce anything." Someone asked him: "What happens if you use your spear to pierce your shield?" The man couldn't answer and was very embarrassed.

Key Vocabulary

自相矛盾
zì xiāng máo dùn
self-contradictory
矛
máo
spear
盾
dùn
shield
坚固
jiāngù
strong
锋利
fēnglì
sharp
尴尬
gāngà
embarrassed

The Moral

Don't contradict yourself! This idiom describes a logical contradiction in one's own words or actions.

Cultural Insight

自相矛盾 comes from "Han Feizi" (韩非子). It is one of the most commonly used Chinese idioms.