Definition
莫须有 comes from a famous line attributed to the Song general Yue Fei: 'maybe there is, maybe there isn't' (莫须有) — referring to the fabricated charges that led to his execution. Today it means 'completely groundless' or 'fabricated' and is almost always used to describe accusations, excuses, or claims that have no evidence. You'll commonly see it in the phrase 莫须有的罪名 ('fabricated charges').
attr.
groundlessfabricated (usually of accusations or excuses)
Examples
- 莫须有。Tā yīnwèi mò xū yǒu de zuìmíng bèi pàn le xíng.He was sentenced for fabricated charges.
- 莫须有。Búyào yòng mò xū yǒu de lǐyóu lái tuītuō zérèn.Don't use groundless reasons to evade responsibility.
- 莫须有。Zhè cì chōngtú wánquán shì jīyú mò xū yǒu de huáiyí.This conflict is based entirely on groundless suspicion.
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