📖 Meaning
To use lame or forced arguments to insist on being right; to try to win a debate through sophistry rather than sound reasoning. It describes someone who twists logic and clings to their position despite having no valid basis for their claims.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom emerged from classical Chinese literary discourse, with early usage found in Ming dynasty vernacular works such as 《醒世恒言》and the classic novel 《红楼梦》. The phrase captures the long-standing Confucian critique of those who rely on rhetorical force rather than moral and logical substance. Classical scholars frequently condemned the practice of using clever but hollow words to claim the mantle of reason, making this concept a recurring theme in Chinese literary and philosophical traditions.
💡 Example Usage
他明明做错了事，却还在那里强词夺理，就是不肯认错。
He had clearly done the wrong thing, yet he kept making lame arguments and simply refused to admit his mistake.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 强词夺理
- Pinyin: qiǎng cí duó lǐ
- Literal Translation: force, words, snatch, reason
- Category: Communication
- Characters: 4