自相矛盾

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: zì xiāng máo dùn
• English Translation: To contradict oneself (The ultimate spear vs. the ultimate shield)
• Idiom Composition: 「自」（Self）＋「相」（Mutually）＋「矛」（Spear (representing an offensive claim)）＋「盾」（Shield (representing a defensive claim)）
• Meaning: A situation where one's words or actions are inconsistent and logically incompatible. It is used to point out when someone's current statement negates their previous one.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「自相矛盾」 contains the following nuances:

• Logical Incompatibility: This refers to a breakdown in logic where two statements or actions cannot both be true at the same time.
• Internal Inconsistency: The focus is on contradictions within the same person or organization, rather than a disagreement between different parties.

3. Usage

「自相矛盾」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Pointing out logical flaws: Used when someone's explanation or testimony lacks consistency, often in a critical or argumentative tone.
  • Example:「你刚才说没见过他，现在又说他穿红衣服，这不是自相矛盾吗？」
    （You just said you hadn't seen him, but now you say he was wearing a red shirt; aren't you contradicting yourself?）
• Describing psychological conflict: Used to describe a state of being torn between two opposing desires or feelings.
  • Example:「他心里很自相矛盾，既想辞职去创业，又舍不得现在的稳定收入。」
    （He is feeling conflicted; he wants to quit to start a business, but he is also reluctant to give up his stable income.）

Additional Examples:

1. 这份报告的数据前后不一，明显是自相矛盾的。
   （The data in this report is inconsistent from start to finish; it is clearly self-contradictory.）
2. 为了掩盖谎言，他编造了许多自相矛盾的故事。
   （To cover up his lies, he fabricated many inconsistent stories.）
3. 这种既要马儿跑，又要马儿不吃草的想法，简直是自相矛盾。
   （The idea of wanting a horse to run fast while refusing to let it eat grass is simply self-contradictory.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• This idiom originates from the Han Feizi (韩非子), a classic text of Chinese philosophy. It tells the story of a merchant in the State of Chu who boasted that his spear could pierce any shield and his shield could block any spear. When asked what would happen if his spear struck his shield, he was unable to answer.
• In modern Chinese, the characters 矛 (máo) and 盾 (dùn) have combined to form the common noun 矛盾 (máo dùn), which means 'contradiction' or 'conflict.' While the noun can refer to general social problems or interpersonal friction, the full idiom 自相矛盾 (zì xiāng máo dùn) specifically targets the act of being logically inconsistent with oneself.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 前后不一 (qián hòu bù yī): Inconsistent from beginning to end.
  • 漏洞百出 (lòu dòng bǎi chū): Full of holes; riddled with logical flaws.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 自圆其说 (zì yuán qí shuō): To make one's argument consistent or plausible.
  • 言行一致 (yán xíng yī zhì): Consistency between one's words and actions.

6. Summary

自相矛盾 (zì xiāng máo dùn) is a classic idiom used to describe self-contradiction. Derived from a famous fable about a merchant selling an all-piercing spear and an impenetrable shield, it highlights logical fallacies or internal emotional conflict.