漏洞百出 (lòu dòng bǎi chū) — (idiom) full of loopholes; riddled with errors,… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'full of loopholes / riddled with flaws', used for arguments, plans, or logic with many weak points. Stronger and more literary than just saying 很多问题.

idiom

full of loopholesriddled with errorscontradictionsor weaknesses

Examples

漏洞百出，。
Tā de biàn hù cí lòu dòng bǎi chū, lián fǎ guān dōu zhòu méi tóu.
His defense argument was full of loopholes; even the judge frowned.
漏洞百出，。
Zhè ge shāng yè jì huà lòu dòng bǎi chū, tóu zī zhě men bù kě néng tóng yì.
This business plan is riddled with flaws; investors will never agree to it.
漏洞百出，。
Yuán wén de luó ji lòu dòng bǎi chū, bì xū dà gǎi cái néng fā biǎo.
The logic in the original text is full of contradictions; it needs major revision before publication.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

漏洞loophole

漏lòuleak洞dònghole

联合Coordinate

百出appear in many ways

百bǎihundred出chūappear

偏正Modifier + head

漏洞 are holes that 百出, appearing in many places.

Characters in this word

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

水水shuǐwater
屚屚lòuto leak

漏 combines 水 (water) and 屚 (to leak), showing water leaking.

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

同

同tóng洞dòng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

洞 combines 水 (water) with 同, which gives the sound tóng.

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

一白百

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

白

白bái百bǎi

Same sound today

百 combines 一, which carries the number meaning, with 白, which provides the sound.

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

止止zhǐfoot
凵凵kǎncave

出 combines 止 (foot) and 凵 (cave) to show a foot stepping out of a cave.

Appears in

Idioms & Set Phrases Good & Bad

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