📖 Meaning
Refers to lying and deceiving people. It describes someone who is habitually dishonest and uses falsehoods to trick others. The term conveys strong moral condemnation of such behavior.
📜 Origin Story
From the Ming Dynasty novel 'Journey to the West' (西游记) by Wu Cheng'en, Chapter 1. When Sun Wukong first arrives at the Patriarch Subhuti's monastery seeking to learn the Way, the Patriarch initially rebuffs him, shouting to have him driven out. He calls Sun Wukong a person of lies and deception (撒诈捣虚之徒), questioning how such a deceitful person could possibly cultivate spiritual attainment. The Patriarch ultimately accepts him, but the phrase has since become a vivid expression for habitual dishonesty.
💡 Example Usage
他撒诈捣虚，骗取了众人的信任。
He lied and deceived others, winning the trust of the crowd through fraud.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 撒诈捣虚
- Pinyin: sā zhà dǎo xū
- Literal Translation: spread, deceive, pound, empty
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4