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似是而非

Mandarin · pinyin sì shì ér fēi

Meanings

  1. apparently right but actually wrong; specious (idiom)
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Characters in this entry

似
sì · resemble, similar to; as if, seem
是
shì · indeed, yes, right; to be; demonstrative pronoun, this, that
而
ér · and; and then; and yet; but; Kangxi radical 126
非
fēi · not, negative, non-; oppose; Kangxi radical 175
Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Entries containing 似是而非 ↗Words written with 似 ↗Words written with 是 ↗Words written with 而 ↗Words written with 非 ↗

Mandarin tones

4–4–2–1 · si4 shi4 er2 fei1

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

ci5 si6 ji4 fei1

Cantonese word readings for 似是而非. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack

ci5 si6 ji4 fei1

Pleco · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Word reading; meanings not aligned.

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

  1. (idiomatic) seemingly so, but not really; appears right, but in fact wrong; specious

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack