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Mythic Mandarin

The spear and the shield: 自相矛盾

HSK 5 Unit 6: Chengyu, four-character idioms · Lesson 3 of 5 · About 26 minutes

Preview version — Chinese review in progress.

Your mission: By the end of this lesson, you can follow the story behind 自相矛盾, and use it to point out that someone contradicts themselves.

Warm-up: do you remember?

Two quick questions from earlier lessons. Recalling before you learn makes the new material stick.

  1. Meaning

    What does 马马虎虎 mean?

    1. careless, so-so
    2. to adopt, to take (measures)
    3. plan, proposal
    Show the answer

    Answer: A, careless, so-so.

    马马虎虎 (mǎmǎ hūhū) means careless, so-so.

  2. Characters

    Which word means “to mend, to make up for”?

    1. 劝
    2. 开阔
    3. 补
    Show the answer

    Answer: C, 补.

    “to mend, to make up for” is 补 (bǔ).

  3. Listening

    From an earlier unit. Listen. What does the word mean?

    Cannot listen? Read it instead

    剩 shèng

    1. and, moreover
    2. lonely
    3. to be left over, to remain
    Show the answer

    Answer: C, to be left over, to remain.

    You heard 剩 (shèng): to be left over, to remain.

New words

  • 矛máospear
  • 盾dùnshield
  • 矛盾máodùncontradiction, contradictory
  • 夸kuāto praise, to boast
  • 锋利fēnglìsharp
  • 坚固jiāngùsolid, sturdy
  • 破pòto break, broken
  • 句jù(measure word for sentences)

The story and the meaning

自相矛盾 means one's own spear against one's own shield: to contradict yourself. The word 矛盾 (máodùn), contradiction, comes from this story.

  • 你一会儿说喜欢，一会儿说不喜欢，这不是自相矛盾吗？

    Nǐ yíhuìr shuō xǐhuan, yíhuìr shuō bù xǐhuan, zhè bú shì zìxiāng máodùn ma?

    One minute you say you like it, the next you don't. Isn't that contradicting yourself?

Characters

Open a character to see how it is written, stroke by stroke, with its meanings and words.

The weapon seller

Professor Yang tells the story.

Listen first

Play the whole text and answer the questions before you open it.

Helpful words: 自相矛盾 zìxiāng máodùn to contradict oneself; 刺 cì to pierce; 围观 wéiguān to gather round to watch; 市场 shìchǎng market

  1. Listening

    Listen first. What did he say about his shield?

    1. Nothing could pierce it.
    2. It was cheap to buy.
    3. It was very light.
    Show the answer

    Answer: A, Nothing could pierce it..

    什么东西都刺不破.

  2. Listening

    Why couldn't he answer?

    1. He was too shy to speak.
    2. He didn't hear the question.
    3. His two claims contradicted each other.
    Show the answer

    Answer: C, His two claims contradicted each other..

    用你的矛刺你的盾，会怎么样呢？

Show the text
Pinyin
Translation

  1. 古时候Gǔshíhou，有yǒu一yí个gè人rén在zài市场shìchǎng上shàng卖mài矛máo和hé盾dùn。

    In ancient times, a man was selling spears and shields at a market.

  2. 他Tā先xiān拿起náqǐ盾dùn，夸kuā道dào：“我wǒ的de盾dùn非常fēicháng坚固jiāngù，什么shénme东西dōngxi都dōu刺cì不bu破pò！”

    First he held up a shield and boasted: "My shield is so solid, nothing can pierce it!"

  3. 然后Ránhòu他tā又yòu拿起náqǐ矛máo，说shuō：“我wǒ的de矛máo非常fēicháng锋利fēnglì，什么shénme东西dōngxi都dōu能néng刺cì破pò！”

    Then he held up a spear and said: "My spear is so sharp, it can pierce anything!"

  4. 围观Wéiguān的de人rén问wèn：“用yòng你nǐ的de矛máo刺cì你nǐ的de盾dùn，会huì怎么样zěnmeyàng呢ne？”

    Someone in the crowd asked: "What happens if you use your spear on your shield?"

  5. 卖Mài东西dōngxi的de人rén一句yí jù话huà也yě回答huídá不bu出来chūlai。

    The seller couldn't say a single word in reply.

Speak: listen, record, compare

Listen to each model, record yourself, then play both and compare: the rhythm, the tones, the vowels. No automatic score: your ear is the judge.

  • 他先拿起盾，夸道：“我的盾非常坚固，什么东西都刺不破！”

    Tā xiān náqǐ dùn, kuā dào: “Wǒ de dùn fēicháng jiāngù, shénme dōngxi dōu cì bu pò!”

    First he held up a shield and boasted: "My shield is so solid, nothing can pierce it!"

  • 然后他又拿起矛，说：“我的矛非常锋利，什么东西都能刺破！”

    Ránhòu tā yòu náqǐ máo, shuō: “Wǒ de máo fēicháng fēnglì, shénme dōngxi dōu néng cì pò!”

    Then he held up a spear and said: "My spear is so sharp, it can pierce anything!"

  • 古时候，有一个人在市场上卖矛和盾。

    Gǔshíhou, yǒu yí gè rén zài shìchǎng shàng mài máo hé dùn.

    In ancient times, a man was selling spears and shields at a market.

Practice

  1. Meaning

    What does 矛 mean?

    1. it looks, it seems
    2. lively, bustling
    3. spear
    Show the answer

    Answer: C, spear.

    矛 (máo) means spear.

  2. Characters

    Which word means “shield”?

    1. 羊
    2. 破
    3. 盾
    Show the answer

    Answer: C, 盾.

    “shield” is 盾 (dùn).

  3. Pinyin

    How do you read 矛盾 (contradiction, contradictory)?

    1. máodǔn
    2. máodùn
    3. máodūn
    Show the answer

    Answer: B, máodùn.

    矛盾 is read máodùn. Check the tone mark on every syllable.

  4. Listening

    Listen. What does the word mean?

    Cannot listen? Read it instead

    夸 kuā

    1. to broaden
    2. to praise, to boast
    3. to continue
    Show the answer

    Answer: B, to praise, to boast.

    You heard 夸 (kuā): to praise, to boast.

  5. Your turn

    Recall: type the Chinese for “sharp” (characters or pinyin).

    Show the answer

    Answer: 锋利

    “sharp” is 锋利 (fēnglì).

  6. Listening

    Listen. Which sentence did you hear?

    Cannot listen? Read it instead

    他先拿起盾，夸道：“我的盾非常坚固，什么东西都刺不破！” Tā xiān náqǐ dùn, kuā dào: “Wǒ de dùn fēicháng jiāngù, shénme dōngxi dōu cì bu pò!”

    1. First he held up a shield and boasted: "My shield is so solid, nothing can pierce it!"
    2. The seller couldn't say a single word in reply.
    3. Then he held up a spear and said: "My spear is so sharp, it can pierce anything!"
    Show the answer

    Answer: A, First he held up a shield and boasted: "My shield is so solid, nothing can pierce it!".

    You heard 他先拿起盾，夸道：“我的盾非常坚固，什么东西都刺不破！” (Tā xiān náqǐ dùn, kuā dào: “Wǒ de dùn fēicháng jiāngù, shénme dōngxi dōu cì bu pò!”): First he held up a shield and boasted: "My shield is so solid, nothing can pierce it!"

  7. Reading

    Read: 经理说公司要节约，可是他自己天天坐出租车上班。大家觉得他自相矛盾。 Why do people think the manager contradicts himself?

    1. He works too many hours every day.
    2. He comes late to work every day.
    3. He asks for saving but takes taxis every day.
    Show the answer

    Answer: C, He asks for saving but takes taxis every day..

    说公司要节约，可是他自己天天坐出租车.

  8. Grammar

    Which sentence means nothing can pierce it?

    1. 什么东西都刺破。
    2. 什么东西不都刺破。
    3. 什么东西都刺不破。
    Show the answer

    Answer: C, 什么东西都刺不破。.

    什么东西都刺不破。: 什么都 + 不 + potential complement.

  9. In context

    Your friend says she hates sweets while eating cake. What do you say?

    1. 你真一举两得！
    2. 你这不是自相矛盾吗？
    3. 祝你一路平安！
    Show the answer

    Answer: B, 你这不是自相矛盾吗？.

    你这不是自相矛盾吗？: 自相矛盾: contradicting yourself.

  10. Your turn

    Type the Chinese for contradiction

    Show the answer

    Answer: 矛盾

    矛盾: contradiction.

Spot the contradiction

Retell 自相矛盾 out loud, then describe two everyday contradictions.

  1. The seller's two claims.
  2. The question that stopped him.
  3. Two modern contradictions.

Sentence frames

  • ＿＿，可是＿＿，这不是自相矛盾吗？

    ＿＿, kěshì ＿＿, zhè bú shì zìxiāng máodùn ma?

    ..., but ..., isn't that contradictory?

Record your attempt (three and a half minutes at most) and listen back:

Review and finish

Can you do this? If a line feels shaky, go back to that part before you move on.

  • I can retell 自相矛盾.
  • I can point out a contradiction politely.

Review works best spaced out: answer these exercises again tomorrow, then after a few days. Your progress is saved in this browser.

Completing records that you finished the lesson. Mastery is separate: it grows as reviews bring the exercises back and you answer them correctly.

Next lesson: The frog at the bottom of the well: 井底之蛙