Chinese word

引经据典

Pronunciation

Pinyinyǐn jīng jù diǎn

Meaning

  • verbcite classical sources

Example

她写文章时经常引经据典来支持观点。tā xiě wén zhāng shí jīng cháng yǐn jīng jù diǎn lái zhī chí guān diǎn

When writing articles, she often cites classical sources to support her views.

Illustration for 引经据典 (cite classical sources)

More examples

评论员常常引经据典来说明历史背景。píng lùn yuán cháng cháng yǐn jīng jù diǎn lái shuō míng lì shǐ bèi jǐng

Commentators often cite classical sources to explain historical background.

Core concept

Strengthens a claim by placing it under the weight of respected classical or authoritative sources.

Common phrases

  • 引经据典 来支持观点yǐn jīng jù diǎn lái zhī chí guān diǎn

    cite classical sources to support a viewpoint

  • 在文章中引经据典zài wén zhāng zhōng yǐn jīng jù diǎn

    cite classical sources in an article

  • 引经据典 来证明yǐn jīng jù diǎn lái zhèng míng

    cite classical sources to prove something

Similar words

引用yǐn yòng: Bring another person's words or source material directly into speech or writing.
引证yǐn zhèng: Cite a source and identify its origin to support a claim.
援引yuán yǐn: Call on writings or specialists' words to lend support to a position.
引述yǐn shù: Pass on the words or written content of another person in their original form.

Definition in Chinese

用古代或权威著作的话语或事实来证明或支持自己的观点。yòng gǔ dài huò quán wēi zhù zuò de huà yǔ huò shì shí lái zhèng míng huò zhī chí zì jǐ de guān diǎn

Word origin

The idiom combines 引 (yǐn, "to cite") + 经 (jīng, "classics") with 据 (jù, "to rely on") + 典 (diǎn, "authoritative texts"), showing a claim supported by cited works.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, this idiom has a learned, written tone, so simpler wording is usually more natural when casually mentioning supporting evidence.

Other meanings

  • use classical sources as proofverb

Opposites

  • 信口开河xìn kǒu kāi héspeak without evidenceverb
  • 凭空捏造píng kōng niē zàofabricate out of thin airverb

Word lists with this word