suppress slander; quell criticism
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to suppress slander; to quell criticism
literaryA classical term, primarily used in historical or formal political contexts to describe the act of a ruler or authority stopping or silencing defamatory speech, rumors, or dissent.
Gǔ古
dài代
jūn君
zhǔ主
yǒu有
shí时
shì试
tú图
mǐ弭
bàng谤
，
dàn但
wǎng往
wǎng往
shì适
dé得
qí其
fǎn反
。
Ancient monarchs sometimes tried to suppress slander, but it often backfired.
“
Fáng防
mín民
zhī之
kǒu口
，
shèn甚
yú于
fáng防
chuān川
”
，
qiáng强
xíng行
mǐ弭
bàng谤
bìng并
fēi非
míng明
zhì智
zhī之
jǔ举
。
"Stopping the mouths of the people is more difficult than damming a river." Forcefully quelling criticism is not a wise move.
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Zhè这
piān篇
cè策
lùn论
tǎo讨
lùn论
le了
zhí执
zhèng政
zhě者
yīng应
rú如
hé何
yìng应
duì对
yú舆
qíng情
，
ér而
fēi非
jiǎn简
dān单
mǐ弭
bàng谤
。
This political essay discusses how those in power should respond to public opinion, rather than simply suppressing criticism.