Seemingly correct or true but actually fallacious or false; specious; misleading.
他的论点听起来很有道理，但仔细一想，却是似是而非
His argument sounded very reasonable, but upon closer inspection, it was specious.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Story:
During the Warring States period, the philosopher Zhuangzi traveled with his students. They encountered a lumberjack and Zhuangzi inquired why he didn't fell the large trees.
The lumberjack explained that the large trees were useless.
Later, at a friend's home, a servant asked about which chicken to butcher.
The host instructed them to kill the rooster that didn't crow.
Zhuangzi then told his students, 'One should strive to exist between usefulness and uselessness, in a state that is '似是而非' (seemingly right but actually not), so that no one can find fault.'
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