断章取义
断章取义 (duàn zhāng qǔ yì) literally means “take meaning from a passage” and expresses “out of context”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: duan zhang qu yi, duan zhang qu yi,断章取义 meaning, 断章取义 in english
Out of context
Pronunciation: duàn zhāng qǔ yì Literal meaning: Take meaning from a passage
Origin & Usage
The idiom 断章取义 (duàn zhāng qǔ yì) originates from the historical text 《左传》 (Zuo Zhuan), specifically from a story involving the character 卢蒲癸 (Lu Pugui) during the Spring and Autumn period. In this tale, Lu Pugui, while discussing his actions, compares his selective interpretation of familial ties to the practice of extracting a single passage from a poem to suit one's needs. The idiom literally means 'to take meaning from a passage,' illustrating the act of interpreting words or actions out of context. The characters 断 (duàn) mean 'to cut off,' 章 (zhāng) means 'chapter,' 取 (qǔ) means 'to take,' and 义 (yì) means 'meaning.' In modern usage, it warns against taking statements or texts out of context, emphasizing the importance of understanding the whole picture.
Examples
English: "He misinterpreted her words, taking them out of context to support his argument."
Chinese: 他误解了她的话，断章取义地支持自己的论点。
Related Chinese Idioms
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 断章取义 mean in English?
断章取义 (duàn zhāng qǔ yì) literally translates to “Take meaning from a passage” and is used to express “Out of context”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 断章取义 used?
Situation: He misinterpreted her words, taking them out of context to support his argument.
What is the pinyin for 断章取义?
The pinyin pronunciation for 断章取义 is “duàn zhāng qǔ yì”.