Chinese word

自相矛盾

Pronunciation

Pinyinzì xiāng máo dùn

Meaning

  • idiomcontradict oneself

Example

他的说法前后自相矛盾。tā de shuō fǎ qián hòu zì xiāng máo dùn

His statements contradict each other.

Illustration for 自相矛盾 (contradict oneself)

More examples

证人的陈述在关键问题上自相矛盾。zhèng rén de chén shù zài guān jiàn wèn tí shàng zì xiāng máo dùn

The witness's statement contradicts itself on key points.

Core concept

One source sends out claims that strike against each other, leaving the whole account unable to hold together.

Common phrases

  • 观点自相矛盾guān diǎn zì xiāng máo dùn

    views contradict each other

  • 证据与结论自相矛盾zhèng jù yǔ jié lùn zì xiāng máo dùn

    evidence and conclusion contradict each other

Similar words

前后矛盾qián hòu máo dùn: Earlier and later statements or explanations disagree and do not fit together.
互相矛盾hù xiāng máo dùn: Several claims or facts conflict with one another and cannot all hold true together.

Definition in Chinese

表示同一主体的说法或主张彼此抵触，前后不能自洽，常用于指出自我否定的情况。biǎo shì tóng yì zhú tǐ de shuō fǎ huò zhǔ zhāng bí cǐ dǐ chù qián hòu bù néng zì qià cháng yòng yú zhǐ chū zì wǒ fǒu dìng de qíng kuàng

Word origin

The idiom 自相矛盾 (zìxiāngmáodùn, "contradict oneself") comes from a story about a seller whose claims for an unbeatable spear and an unbreakable shield could not both be true.

Usage tips

  • The phrase identifies a logical conflict without by itself claiming that the speaker is dishonest, so it suits disagreement about facts or reasoning.

Other meanings

  • be inconsistentidiom

Opposites

  • 言行一致yán xíng yí zhìwords match actionsidiom
  • 前后一致qián hòu yí zhìconsistent throughoutidiom

Related words

  • 矛盾máo dùncontradictionnoun
  • 矛盾心理máo dùn xīn lǐconflicted feelingsnoun
  • 矛盾重重máo dùn chóng chóngfull of contradictionsidiom

Word lists with this word