Oldest | Chinese idiom story 18 self-contradiction/自相矛盾 zì xiāng máo dùn

Learning Chinese idioms is an essential part of learning Chinese culture. Learning an idiom story every day will greatly improve your Chinese level.

【Idiom/成语】： 自相矛盾  self-contradiction  zì xiāng máo dùn


【Explain解释】： Spear/矛：an attack weapon against an enemy/进攻敌人的刺击武器；

                             Shield/盾： protect your shield/保护自己的盾牌。

                             It's a metaphor for the conflict between speaking and doing things./比喻自己说话做事前后抵触。

【Story Background/故事背景】:


During the warring States period, there was a man selling shields and spears. He boasted that the shield he sold was strong and that nothing could puncture it, and that the spear he sold was sharp and nothing could not be pierced by it.

When someone on the road heard it, he couldn't help saying ," what if you use your spear to stab your shield ?"

The shield and spear seller of Chu immediately stared, unable to answer his question.

By using the Chinese idiom stories of both Chinese and English to expand our Chinese Beihaimandarin Reading Material , you can also read more Chinese materials through Beihai Chinese Vblog to further improve your Chinese hearing level.


Edited by Baoyang from Shanghai Beihaimandarin



   战国时楚国有一个卖盾和矛的人，他夸说自己所卖的盾坚固无比，没有东西能把它刺穿；又夸说自己所卖的矛十分锋利，没有东西不被它刺穿。


路上有人听见后，忍不住说：“如果用你的矛去刺你的盾，结果会如何？”


这个卖盾和矛的楚国人立刻瞠目结舌，无法回答他的问题。