WEBVTT 00:00:01.525 --> 00:00:07.080 That means to contradict oneself and there's a story behind it. 00:00:07.357 --> 00:00:13.718 So, in the Warring States Period, in the state of Chu, there's this guy and he was selling shields and spears. 00:00:14.418 --> 00:00:21.499 He claimed his shields what un unpierceble. "My shields are so sturdy, nothing can pierce them." 00:00:21.499 --> 00:00:30.697 Yet this guy also claimed that his spears could pierce through anything: "My spears are so sharp, there is nothing they cannot peire through." 00:00:30.697 --> 00:00:32.878 Sounds like we are seeing the problem here. 00:00:32.878 --> 00:00:44.223 Yeah sounds like when there is an cowboy sales when he come to my door trying to sell me supposedly unburnable ironing board covers that didn't count that my garment Blaster 9000 burn a hole right through. 00:00:44.223 --> 00:00:51.885 Anyway back to the story. The people of Chu figure it out to and someone said to him: "Chiniese?" - 00:00:51.885 --> 00:00:55.898 What would happen if he used his own spear to peirce his own shield? 00:00:55.898 --> 00:01:04.977 Neither a salesman nor anyone else can respond to this question and that's the phrase Zì xiāng máodùn was created. Zì xiāng means mutually. 00:01:04.977 --> 00:01:11.705 The character máo means spear and dùn means shield The two characters together have come to mean conflicted. 00:01:11.705 --> 00:01:19.224 So Zì xiāng máodùn means mutually conflicted or neutrally contradicting. So how can we use this? 00:01:19.224 --> 00:01:29.632 Well when politicians say this: I will lower taxes for everyone and increase overall public spending. --> Zì xiāng máodùn 00:01:29.632 --> 00:01:39.170 Or when your mom says this: you the best son in the world Ben, but you're not as good as Mr. Jones's son. --> Zì xiāng máodùn 00:01:39.458 --> 00:01:52.176 Or China's state-run propaganda media says this: China's state-run media will serve the Communist Party and provide the people with the information they need --> Zì xiāng máodùn 00:01:52.381 --> 00:01:57.554 So there you have it. Don't forget subscribe to our channel for more use for Chinese phrases every week. 00:01:57.914 --> 00:02:01.276 You can also check out some of our other videos right here.