岂有此理

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: qǐ yǒu cǐ lǐ
• English Translation: Outrageous, preposterous, unreasonable, unacceptable
• Idiom Composition: 「岂」（How could it be? Certainly not）＋「有」（To have, to exist）＋「此」（This）＋「理」（Reason, principle）
• Meaning: Meaning "How could there be such reason? Certainly not," this idiom is used to express strong dissatisfaction or anger towards something unreasonable or against common sense.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「岂有此理」 contains the following nuances:

• Strong rejection: Expresses the speaker's strong dissatisfaction, anger, or surprise.
• Violation of reason: Condemns actions that significantly deviate from social norms, morality, or common sense.
• Rhetorical expression: A rhetorical expression meaning "there can be no such reason," strongly denying the other party's words or actions.

3. Usage

「岂有此理」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Expressing strong dissatisfaction or anger: Used to express strong dissatisfaction or anger towards unreasonable or unforgivable behavior.
  • Example:「他竟然敢打老人，真是岂有此理！」
    （He actually dared to hit an old man, that's truly outrageous!）
• Expressing surprise or disbelief: Also used to express surprise or disbelief at events that defy common sense.
  • Example:「他把公司的钱都拿去赌博了，岂有此理！」
    （He took all the company's money to gamble, that's preposterous!）

Additional Examples:

1. 你怎么能这样对待你的父母？真是岂有此理！
   （How can you treat your parents like that? That's truly unacceptable!）
2. 岂有此理！他竟然在考试中作弊，太不像话了！
   （Outrageous! He actually cheated on the exam, that's beyond words!）
3. 明明是他先动手的，怎么反倒怪起我来了？岂有此理！
   （He clearly started it first, so why is he blaming me? That's unreasonable!）
4. 这家餐厅的服务态度太差了，岂有此理，我再也不会来了！
   （The service attitude at this restaurant is terrible, that's unacceptable. I will never come again!）
5. 他竟然把所有的责任都推到我身上，岂有此理！
   （He actually shifted all the responsibility onto me, that's outrageous!）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Emphasis on '理' (reason): In traditional Chinese culture, '理' refers to natural laws, social order, and moral principles, and is a very important concept. '岂有此理' strongly condemns actions that violate this 'reason'.
• Strong emotional expression: '岂有此理' carries very strong emotions and is not suitable for light criticism or jokes. Care should be taken regarding the context in which it is used.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 荒谬绝伦 (huāng miù jué lún): Extremely absurd and completely unreasonable.
  • 不可思议 (bù kě sī yì): Unbelievable, incomprehensible.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 理所当然 (lǐ suǒ dāng rán): Something that is natural, reasonable, or taken for granted.

6. Summary

'岂有此理' is an idiom rooted in the traditional Chinese value of 'reason' (理), used to strongly condemn actions that violate reason or common sense. When using this phrase, one should consider the strong emotional tone it carries and whether the behavior in question truly contradicts reason.