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自相矛盾
很久很久以前 ，楚国有一个商 人，一天他到市场上去卖自己制造的矛和盾。他大声的叫卖，有很多人围过来看，他举起盾说：“我的盾是世界上最坚固的，无论怎样锋利的东西也不能刺 穿它!”接着，他又拿起一支矛，得意地说：“我的矛是世界上最锋 利的，无论怎样坚固的东西也能刺穿!”这时一位围观的人上前拿起他的一支矛和一面盾问道 ：“如果用这支矛去刺这面盾，结果会怎样呢？”这个人一下子回答不出来，最后只好灰溜溜地扛着 矛和 盾走 了。“自相矛盾”这个成语比喻语言、行动前后不一 致或互相抵触。
SPEARS AND SHIELDS
There was a man of the state of Chu who sold shields and spears. He bragged about his shields, saying: “My shields are so hard that nothing can pierce through them.” He also bragged about his spears, saying: “My spears are so sharp that there is nothing they cannot pierce through.” Someone said: “What will happen if people were to use your spears to pierce through your shields?’ That person could not answer. Because, shields that cannot be pierced through and spears that can pierce through anything cannot exist at the same time.
The phrase “use one’s spear to pierce through one’s shield”, means being self-contradictory both in words and behavior.
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