📖 Meaning
This idiom refers to sowing discord and spreading rumors to create trouble between people. It describes someone who deliberately stirs up conflicts and confuses right and wrong through gossip and instigation.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the classic Qing dynasty novel 'Dream of the Red Chamber' (红楼梦), Chapter 10, by Cao Xueqin. The original text describes being annoyed by fair-weather friends who would stir up trouble and sow discord. The phrase emphasizes the destructive behavior of those who spread gossip to create conflicts among others, a recurring theme in the novel's depiction of social intrigue within a wealthy aristocratic household.
💡 Example Usage
她总喜欢在邻居之间调三惑四，惹得大家都不愉快。
She always likes to sow discord among the neighbors, making everyone unhappy.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 调三惑四
- Pinyin: tiáo sān huò sì
- Literal Translation: stir up three, confuse four
- Category: Communication
- Characters: 4