矛盾

• 拼音: máo dùn
• 汉字拆解: 矛 = pictograph of a spear; 盾 = 厂 (cliff) + 目 (eye) + 十 — a shield

含义

Contradiction; conflict; contradictory. A state of opposition or inconsistency between two things.

From the classical Chinese parable of a man selling both an unbreakable spear (矛) and an impenetrable shield (盾). As a noun, means conflict or contradiction. As an adjective, means conflicted or contradictory.

例句

1. 他的说法前后矛盾，让人无法相信。
2. 工作和家庭之间的矛盾让她很苦恼。
3. 我们应该通过沟通来解决矛盾。

用法指南

语境: logic, relationships, philosophy

语气: analytical

正确说法

• 这两个说法是矛盾的。(These two statements are contradictory.)
• 我心里很矛盾。(I feel conflicted inside.)

错误说法

• 说'我和他很矛盾'表示关系不好 (Don't use 矛盾 alone to mean a bad relationship — say 有矛盾 or 关系不好; 我很矛盾 means you feel internally conflicted)

起源与历史

矛 (spear) + 盾 (shield). From a famous parable where a merchant claimed his spear could pierce anything and his shield could block anything — a logical contradiction.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal