强词夺理

強詞奪理

qiǎngcíduólǐ

idiom #32,313

Meanings

1 to use lame arguments to argue one's case
2 to twist logic in a debate
3 to insist on an unreasonable point

Characters

forced / insistent

words / argument

Examples

你明明错了，还在强词夺理。

Nǐ míngmíng cuò le, hái zài qiǎng cí duó lǐ.

You're clearly wrong but still twisting the logic.

他总是强词夺理，让人没法和他讨论。

Tā zǒngshì qiǎng cí duó lǐ, ràng rén méifǎ hé tā tǎolùn.

He always argues unreasonably, making it impossible to discuss anything with him.

别强词夺理了，承认错误吧。

Bié qiǎng cí duó lǐ le, chéngrèn cuòwù ba.

Stop twisting the argument and just admit your mistake.

Tips

history

From Luo Guanzhong's 《三国演义》 (Romance of the Three Kingdoms), chapter 43: a character accuses Zhuge Liang of 强词夺理 during a debate — 'all sophistry, not proper reasoning.'

Stroke Order

强 qiáng

词 cí

夺 duó

理 lǐ