挑拨离间

挑撥離間

tiǎobōlíjiàn

idiom #30,291

Meanings

1 to sow discord between people
2 to stir up trouble and drive a wedge

Characters

to provoke; to stir

to poke; to stir up

gap; to estrange

Examples

他喜欢在同事之间挑拨离间。

Tā xǐhuān zài tóngshì zhījiān tiǎobō líjiàn.

He likes to sow discord among colleagues.

不要听信挑拨离间的话。

Bùyào tīngxìn tiǎobō líjiàn de huà.

Don't believe words that aim to drive a wedge between people.

Tips

mistakes

间 here is jiàn (4th tone, meaning 'gap/estrange'), NOT jiān. Pronouncing it jiān changes the meaning entirely.

Stroke Order

挑 tiāo

拨 bō

离 lí

间 jiān