scold one person while meaning another; indirect criticism
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to point at the mulberry tree while scolding the locust tree; to scold one person indirectly by ostensibly scolding another; to make oblique accusations
A metaphorical idiom used when someone criticizes or insults a person indirectly by ostensibly scolding someone or something else. Also known as 指鸡骂狗 (zhǐ jī mà gǒu).
Nǐ你
bié别
zài在
zhè这
lǐ里
zhǐ指
sāng桑
mà骂
huái槐
，
yǒu有
shén什
me么
huà话
zhí直
jiē接
shuō说
chū出
lái来
。
Don't beat around the bush here; if you have something to say, just say it directly.
Tā他
biǎo表
miàn面
shàng上
shì是
zài在
pī批
píng评
xià下
shǔ属
，
shí实
jì际
shang上
shì是
zhǐ指
sāng桑
mà骂
huái槐
，
shuō说
gěi给
shàng上
sī司
tīng听
。
On the surface he was criticizing his subordinate, but he was actually criticizing someone else indirectly for his boss to hear.
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Zhè这
piān篇
xiǎo小
shuō说
lǐ里
，
zuò作
zhě者
jīng经
cháng常
zhǐ指
sāng桑
mà骂
huái槐
de地
fěng讽
cì刺
shè社
huì会
xiàn现
xiàng象
。
In this novel, the author often satirizes social phenomena through innuendo.