use one's own arguments against oneself; refute by one's own logic
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to refute someone using their own arguments or logic; to turn someone's own weapons against them
formalDerived from the Han Feizi story of a man selling both spears and shields. Used in formal argumentation or debate contexts to describe a method of logical refutation.
Zài在
biàn辩
lùn论
sài赛
shàng上
，
tā他
qiǎo巧
miào妙
de地
yǐ以
zǐ子
zhī之
máo矛
，
gōng攻
zǐ子
zhī之
dùn盾
，
ràng让
duì对
fāng方
yǎ哑
kǒu口
wú无
yán言
。
In the debate competition, he skillfully turned his opponent's own arguments against them, leaving them speechless.
Yǐ以
zǐ子
zhī之
máo矛
，
gōng攻
zǐ子
zhī之
dùn盾
，
shì是
fǎn反
bó驳
duì对
fāng方
luó逻
jì辑
lòu漏
dòng洞
de的
yǒu有
xiào效
cè策
lüè略
。
Using one's own spear against one's own shield is an effective strategy for refuting logical loopholes in an opponent's argument.
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Tā他
yòng用
duì对
fāng方
qù去
nián年
de的
yán言
lùn论
lái来
fǎn反
bó驳
duì对
fāng方
xiàn现
zài在
de的
guān观
diǎn点
，
zhēn真
shi是
yǐ以
zǐ子
zhī之
máo矛
，
gōng攻
zǐ子
zhī之
dùn盾
。
He used his opponent's remarks from last year to refute their current position, truly turning their own spear against their own shield.