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指桑罵槐

简指桑骂槐 · 繁指桑罵槐

Mandarin · pinyin zhǐ sāng mà huái

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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Characters in this entry

指: zhǐ · finger, toe; point, indicate
桑: sāng · mulberry tree; surname
罵: Look up this written character
槐: huái · locust tree
骂: mà · accuse, blame, curse, scold

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

3–1–4–2 · zhi3 sang1 ma4 huai2

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

指桑罵槐 · find source passages ↗ · 指桑骂槐 · find source passages ↗

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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.

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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

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