📖 Meaning
To publicly praise and ally with those who share one's views while attacking and excluding those who hold different opinions. It describes a partisan attitude of forming factions based on agreement and suppressing dissent. The idiom criticizes behavior driven by ideological bias rather than objective judgment.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Shishuo Xinyu (世说新语), chapter 'Qingdi' (轻诋), compiled by Liu Yiqing (刘义庆) of the Southern Dynasties, Liu Song period (5th century CE). The original text reads, 'Zhenchang praised the like-minded and attacked the dissenters—the greatest of partisan men.' 'Zhenchang' refers to Liu Tan (刘惔), a Jin dynasty scholar-official known for his sharp wit and factional tendencies. The phrase was used to characterize his habit of elevating allies while disparaging intellectual opponents, a behavior the compiler implicitly criticized.
💡 Example Usage
他在朝堂上标同伐异，致使忠臣纷纷离去。
At court he praised his allies and attacked dissenters, causing loyal officials to leave one after another.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 标同伐异
- Pinyin: biāo tóng fá yì
- Literal Translation: praise the same, attack the different
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4