指桑骂槐

指桑罵槐

zhǐsāng-màhuái

idiom

Meanings

1 to point at the mulberry and curse the locust
2 to make oblique accusations
3 to scold one person while targeting another

Characters

to scold / curse

Examples

HSK 3

有意见就直说，别指桑骂槐。

Yǒu yìjiàn jiù zhíshuō, bié zhǐsāng-màhuái.

If you have a complaint, say it directly; don't make indirect jabs.

HSK 4

他表面批评小王，其实是指桑骂槐，针对我。

Tā biǎomiàn pīpíng Xiǎo Wáng, qíshí shì zhǐsāng-màhuái, zhēnduì wǒ.

He pretended to criticize Xiao Wang, but he was really getting at me.

HSK 6

她这番话明显是在指桑骂槐。

Tā zhè fān huà míngxiǎn shì zài zhǐsāng-màhuái.

Her words were clearly an indirect attack aimed at someone else.

Tips

memory

Picture yourself pointing at a mulberry tree but yelling at the locust tree beside it. The literal misdirection is the idiom: you scold A while everyone knows you mean B.

Stroke Order

指 zhǐ

桑 sāng

骂 mà

槐 huái