unintentional self-description; pot calling kettle black
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to criticize others while inadvertently describing oneself; the pot calling the kettle black
literaryOriginating from the Analects (《论语》), where Zi Gong noted that Confucius was actually describing his own virtues while claiming he lacked them. Often implies unintentional self-revelation or projection when criticizing others.
Tā他
pī批
píng评
bié别
rén人
lǎn懒
duò惰
，
qí其
shí实
shì是
fū夫
zǐ子
zì自
dào道
，
yīn因
wèi为
tā他
zì自
zuì己
lǎn最
懒
。
He criticized others for being lazy, but he was really describing himself, as he is the laziest of all.
Nǐ你
shuō说
bié别
rén人
bù不
dǒng懂
lǐ礼
mào貌
，
zhè这
jiǎn简
zhí直
shì是
fū夫
zǐ子
zì自
dào道
。
You say others don't understand manners, but that's simply the pot calling the kettle black.
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Kǒng孔
zǐ子
shuō说
jūn君
zǐ子
yǒu有
sān三
dé德
ér而
zì自
jǐ己
bù不
néng能
，
zǐ子
gòng贡
biàn便
shuō说
tā他
shì是
fū夫
zǐ子
zì自
dào道
。
Confucius said a gentleman has three virtues that he himself lacked, whereupon Zigong said he was describing himself.