Chinese Idiom Stories 自相矛盾 In the Warring States Period, there was a man who sold lances and shields. He boasted that his shield was the hardest, and said: "Nothing can pierce it!" Then he boasted that his lance was the sharpest, and said: "It can pierce everything!" People in the market heard this, and questioned him: "If you use your lance to stab your shield, what will happen?" The man could not answer, and all the people laughed at him. A shield that cannot be pierced and a lance that can pierce everything would not exist together. Nowadays, the idiom 自相矛盾 means " to contradict oneself." ----------------------- 在战国时期，楚国有个卖矛和盾的人，他先夸耀自己的盾很坚硬，说：“无论用什么东西都无法破坏它！”然后，他又夸耀自己的矛很锐利，说：“无论什么东西都能将其破坏！”，市场上的人质问他：“如果用你的矛去刺你的盾，它们将怎么样？”，那个人无法回答。众人嘲笑他。无法被刺穿的盾牌和没有刺不破盾的长矛，是不可能共同存在的。 原文 楚人有鬻盾与矛者，先誉其盾之坚，曰：“吾盾之坚，物莫能陷也。”俄而又誉其矛之利，曰：“吾矛之利，万物莫不陷也。”市人诘之曰："以子之矛陷子之盾，何如？”其人弗能应也。众皆笑之。夫不可陷之盾与无不陷之矛，为名不可两立也。