DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT
指桑罵槐
简 指桑骂槐 · 繁 指桑罵槐Mandarin · pinyin zhǐ sāng mà huái
Meanings
- lit. to point at the mulberry tree and curse the locust tree
- fig. to scold sb indirectly
- to make oblique accusations (idiom)
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Mandarin tones
3–1–4–2 · zhi3 sang1 ma4 huai2
Compare attested words with these syllables ↗Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.
Connected dictionary
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Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading
Rime Cantonese 粵拼
zi2 song1 maa6 waai4
Cantonese word readings for 指桑罵槐. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.
CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack
zi2 song1 maa6 waai4
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
- (idiomatic) to scold someone indirectly; to make oblique accusations
Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack