use another topic to express one's true meaning
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
use another topic to express one's true meaning; seize on a pretext to air one's own views
An idiom describing a rhetorical strategy where one uses a seemingly unrelated topic as a vehicle to convey their real, often hidden, opinion, intention, or criticism. It can imply cleverness, indirectness, or even manipulation.
Tā他
biǎo表
miàn面
shàng上
zài在
pī批
píng评
zhè这
bù部
diàn电
yǐng影
，
qí其
shí实
shì是
jiè借
tí题
fā发
huī挥
，
biǎo表
dá达
duì对
gōng公
sī司
zhì制
dù度
de的
bù不
mǎn满
。
He appears to be criticizing this movie, but he's actually using it as a pretext to express his dissatisfaction with the company's system.
Tǎo讨
lùn论
huì会
shàng上
，
tā他
jiè借
tí题
fā发
huī挥
，
bǎ把
fā发
yán言
de的
zhòng重
diǎn点
yǐn引
xiàng向
le了
huán环
bǎo保
zhèng政
cè策
。
During the discussion, he seized on the topic to steer the focus of his speech towards environmental policies.
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Zhè这
piān篇
píng评
lùn论
wén文
zhāng章
jiè借
tí题
fā发
huī挥
，
cóng从
yī一
jiàn件
xiǎo小
shì事
yǐn引
shēn申
chū出
shēn深
kè刻
de的
shè社
huì会
wèn问
tí题
。
This commentary uses a minor incident as a springboard to explore deeper social issues.
Bié别
jiè借
tí题
fā发
huī挥
，
wǒ我
men们
jiù就
shì事
lùn论
shì事
。
Don't use this as a pretext to air other grievances; let's just focus on the matter at hand.