矛盾

From a tale in Han Feizi first attested in c. 2nd century BCE.

楚人有鬻盾與矛者，譽之曰：「吾盾之堅，物莫能陷之。」以譽其矛曰：「吾矛之利，於物無不陷也。」或曰：「以子之矛陷子之盾，何如？」其人弗能應也。夫不可陷之盾與無不陷之矛，不可同世而立。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

---

楚人有鬻盾与矛者，誉之曰：「吾盾之坚，物莫能陷之。」以誉其矛曰：「吾矛之利，于物无不陷也。」或曰：「以子之矛陷子之盾，何如？」其人弗能应也。夫不可陷之盾与无不陷之矛，不可同世而立。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Han Feizi, circa 2^nd century BCE

Chǔ rén yǒu yù dùn yǔ máo zhě, yù zhī yuē: “Wú dùn zhī jiān, wù mò néng xiàn zhī.” Yǐ yù qí máo yuē: “Wú máo zhī lì, yú wù wú bù xiàn yě.” Huò yuē: “Yǐ zǐ zhī máo xiàn zǐ zhī dùn, hérú?” Qí rén fú néng yìng yě. Fú bùkě xiàn zhī dùn yǔ wú bù xiàn zhī máo, bùkě tóng shì ér lì. [Pinyin]

There was once a man in the state of Chu, who was selling shields and lances. He was praising them saying: “My shields are so firm, that there is nothing that can pierce them.” He praised his lances saying: “My lances are so sharp, that there is nothing that they cannot pierce.” Someone asked: “What if you used your lances to pierce your shields?” The man could not answer. A shield that cannot be pierced and a lance that can pierce everything cannot exist in the same world.

矛盾 (idiomatic)

1. contradiction; inconsistency; disagreement; incongruity

   加劇矛盾／加剧矛盾  ―  jiājù máodùn  ―  heightening the contradictions

2. problem; issue; conflict

   階級矛盾／阶级矛盾  ―  jiējí máodùn  ―  class conflict

   種族矛盾／种族矛盾  ―  zhǒngzú máodùn  ―  ethnic conflict

3. (logic, philosophy) paradox

• (problem):

• (paradox): 悖論／悖论 (bèilùn)

矛盾

1. conflicted; vacillating between two options

   他的心裡很矛盾。 [MSC, trad.]
   他的心里很矛盾。 [MSC, simp.]

   Tā de xīnli hěn máodùn. [Pinyin]

   He is feeling really conflicted.

• 糾結／纠结 (jiūjié)

From Middle Chinese 矛盾 (MC mjuw zywinX), literally 矛 (“lance, spear”) + 盾 (“shield”). See the Chinese etymology section for the full derivation.

• (Tokyo) むじゅん [mùjúń] (Heiban – [0])^[1]
• IPA^(key): [mɯ̟ʑɨ̃ɴ]

矛(む)盾(じゅん) • (mujun) 

1. a contradiction, an inconsistency, a paradox

• 撞(どう)着(ちゃく) (dōchaku)
• 逆(ぎゃく)説(せつ) (gyakusetsu)
• パラドックス (paradokkusu)

矛(む)盾(じゅん)する • (mujun suru) suru (stem 矛(む)盾(じゅん)し (mujun shi), past 矛(む)盾(じゅん)した (mujun shita))

1. to be inconsistent, to be in contradiction, to be incompatible with

   彼(かれ)が今日(きょう)主(しゅ)張(ちょう)する内(ない)容(よう)は昨日(きのう)の行(こう)動(どう)と矛(む)盾(じゅん)している。

   Kare ga kyō shuchō suru naiyō wa kinō no kōdō to mujun shite iru.

   What he's going on about today isn't compatible with his behavior yesterday.

• “矛盾”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎^[1] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2026

矛盾 • (mosun) (hangeul 모순)

1. hanja form^? of 모순 (“contradiction”)

矛盾

1. chữ Hán form of mâu thuẫn (“contradiction”)