牵强附会 (qiān qiǎng fù huì) — to draw a forced analogy, to give a strained interpretation; far-fetched, contrived (of reasoning or explanation)

Definition

An idiom for forcing an interpretation or analogy that doesn't really fit — something is 'far-fetched' or 'contrived'. Used to criticize reasoning, explanations, or connections that strain logic.

idiom
to draw a forced analogy, to give a strained interpretationfar-fetchedcontrived (of reasoning or explanation)

Examples

  • 牵强附会，。
    Tā de guān diǎn tài qiān qiǎng fù huì le, quē fá shuō fú lì.
    His viewpoint is too far-fetched and lacks persuasiveness.
  • 牵强附会。
    Zhè zhǒng qiān qiǎng fù huì de jiě shì ràng rén nán yǐ jiē shòu.
    This kind of strained interpretation is hard to accept.
  • 牵强附会。
    Bú yào bǎ liǎng jiàn wú guān de shì qiān qiǎng fù huì dì lián xì qǐ lái.
    Don't force a connection between two unrelated things.

Origin

Characters in this word

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 牽; 牵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
牛牛niúcow, ox
Sound part声符shēngfú
玄
玄xuán牽qiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 牽 is built from 玄 and 牛, an ox, giving the picture of leading an ox by hand. The simplified 牵 is a later shorthand.

Open 牵 →

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 強; 强 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 強 pairs an insect component with a sound component; this explains 強, not the simplified 强.

Open 强 →

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
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
付
付fù附fù
Same sound today

附 pairs 阝, written in full as 阜, with 付 as the sound part.

Open 附 →

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 會; 会 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
合合héto meet
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡆧
𡆧𡆧會huì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Traditional 會 pairs 合 (to meet) with 𡆧, an original form for ironware, to give the sound. The simplified 会 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 会 →

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