📖 Meaning
To sow discord and stir up trouble between people. The idiom describes someone who deliberately spreads gossip or provokes conflict among others, much like the related form 调三斡四.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the classic Qing dynasty novel Dream of the Red Chamber (红楼梦) by Cao Xueqin, Chapter 63. In the scene, the maidservant Qingwen teasingly remarks that someone has learned to be mischievous, specializing in stirring up discord among people. The phrase uses the numerals three and four as rhythmic fillers, while 调 (stir) and 窝 (harbor) convey the act of fomenting quarrels. It is considered a variant of the more formal 调三斡四.
💡 Example Usage
她专爱在邻居之间调三窝四，惹得大家都很讨厌她。
She loves to sow discord among the neighbors, making everyone dislike her.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 调三窝四
- Pinyin: tiáo sān wō sì
- Literal Translation: stir up three, harbor four
- Category: Communication
- Characters: 4