指鹿为马zhǐ lù wéi mǎdeliberate misrepresentation

1. 1.

   deliberate misrepresentationidiom

Figurative meaning

Deliberate misrepresentation.

Literal meaning

Making a deer out to be a horse.

• 指to point at or to
• 鹿deer
• 为to take sth as
• 马horse

The story

Zhao Gao wanted to seize power but feared the officials would not obey him, so he first set up a test: he presented a deer to the Second Emperor and said, “It is a horse.”

指鹿为马 is used in criticism and can describe someone who knowingly twists the facts.

1. HSK 4

   这是他的错误，他却指鹿为马，说是别人做的。

   Zhè shì tā de cuòwù, tā què zhǐ lù wéi mǎ, shuō shì biérén zuò de.

   This was his mistake, but he deliberately twisted the facts and said someone else did it.

2. HSK 5

   大家都看见了事实，他还在指鹿为马。

   Dàjiā dōu kànjiàn le shìshí, tā hái zài zhǐ lù wéi mǎ.

   Everyone saw the facts, yet he is still deliberately misrepresenting them.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   杯子是你打破的吧？

   Bēizi shì nǐ dǎpò de ba?

   You broke the cup, didn't you?

2. 
   Speaker B:

   不是我，是猫。

   Bú shì wǒ, shì māo.

   It wasn't me, it was the cat.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   我们家没有猫啊！

   Wǒmen jiā méiyǒu māo a!

   We don't have a cat!

4. 
   Speaker B:

   好吧，我不该指鹿为马。

   Hǎo ba, wǒ bù gāi zhǐ lù wéi mǎ.

   Okay, I shouldn't have twisted the facts.

1. 1.What does 指鹿为马 mean?

   ADeliberate misrepresentationBTo ride a horse in the forestCTo take good care of animals
2. 2.Which sentence uses 指鹿为马 correctly?

   A这是他的错误，他却指鹿为马，说是别人做的。B这个菜很指鹿为马。C他指鹿为马地笑了。
3. 3.Which word fits best? 事实很清楚，你别再____了。 (The facts are clear; stop deliberately misrepresenting them.)

   A指鹿为马B一箭双雕C马马虎虎

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Browse every entry in the Chinese idioms dictionary.