指槐骂柳 — “To make an indirect accusation”
指槐骂柳 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to make an indirect accusation”. To criticize someone by ostensibly criticizing another person or thing. Literally, “Point at the scholar tree and scold the willow”.
Frequency
指槐骂柳 Pronunciation and Pinyin
指槐骂柳 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 指槐骂柳
他虽然嘴上说的是工作中的一些小问题，但大家都明白他是在指槐骂柳，表达对领导决策的不满。
Although he was ostensibly talking about some minor issues in the work, everyone understood that he was implicitly criticizing the manager's decisions.
Idioms Related to 指槐骂柳
Synonyms of 指槐骂柳
More idioms starting with 指
- zhǐ指yī一shuō说shí十exaggerate a minor issue
- zhǐ指bù不shèng胜lǚ偻too many to count
- zhǐ指bù不shèng胜qū屈too many to count
- zhǐ指bù不shèng胜shù数too numerous to count
- zhǐ指dōng东huà划xī西talk evasively or beat around the bush
- zhǐ指dōng东dǎ打xī西feint east, attack west
- zhǐ指dōng东huà画xī西Beat around the bush
- zhǐ指dōng东huà话xī西talk aimlessly or evasively
- zhǐ指dōng东shuō说xī西Beat around the bush
- zhǐ指shì事lèi类qíng情explain principles and illustrate situations
- zhǐ指qīn亲tuō托gù故claim kinship or feign acquaintance
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Open the tool →Questions about 指槐骂柳
What does 指槐骂柳 mean?
指槐骂柳 (zhǐ huái mà liǔ) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to make an indirect accusation”.
How do you pronounce 指槐骂柳?
指槐骂柳 is pronounced zhǐ huái mà liǔ in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 指槐骂柳 literally mean?
Literally, 指槐骂柳 means “Point at the scholar tree and scold the willow”. It is used to mean “to make an indirect accusation”.
What is the Chinese definition of 指槐骂柳?
指着桑树骂槐树。比喻表面上骂甲，实际上是骂乙