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断章取义 (duàn zhāng-qǔ yì) — (idiom) to quote out of context; to cite selectively and distort the original meaning

Definition

A chengyu meaning to quote or cite out of context — pulling a sentence from a larger text and twisting its original meaning. Used to criticize selective, misleading quotation.

idiom
to quote out of contextto cite selectively and distort the original meaning

Examples

  • 断章取义，。
    Tā zǒng xǐ huan duàn zhāng-qǔ yì, ràng rén wù huì tā de huà.
    He always likes to quote out of context, causing people to misunderstand his words.
  • 断章取义，。
    Xiě lùn wén shí bú yào duàn zhāng-qǔ yì, yào quán miàn yǐn yòng.
    When writing a paper, don't quote out of context; cite comprehensively.
  • 断章取义。
    Zhè zhǒng duàn zhāng-qǔ yì de zuò fǎ fēi cháng bù zhuān yè.
    This kind of out-of-context quoting is very unprofessional.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

断章sever a chapter
断duànsever章zhāngchapter
动宾Verb + object
取义take the meaning
取qǔtake义yìmeaning
动宾Verb + object

Severing a chapter and taking its meaning describe quoting selectively; the two actions run in parallel.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 斷; 断 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 斷 uses 𢇍 (to cut) and 斤 (axe) together.

Open 断 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

章 shows a chisel piercing a piece of jade in the middle. It originally meant treating jade.

Open 章 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

取 pairs 又 (hand) with 耳 (ear), showing a hand taking an ear, as in taking the ear of fallen prey.

Open 取 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 義; 义 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
羊羊yáng
Sound part声符shēngfú
我
我wǒ義yì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 義 has 我 giving the sound and 羊 meaning good or auspicious; the simplified 义 is a later abbreviation.

Open 义 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Idioms & Set PhrasesReading & Writing

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