Chinese

Noun

矛盾

1. contradiction; inconsistency; disagreement; incongruity
2. problem; issue; conflict
3. (logic) paradox

Adjective

矛盾

1. conflicted; vacillating between two options

   他的心裡很矛盾。 / 他的心里很矛盾。  ―  Tā de xīnli hěn máodùn.  ―  He is feeling really conflicted inside.

Derived terms

Japanese

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 矛盾 ‎(mjuw dwon^X), literally 矛 ‎(“lance, spear”) + 盾 ‎(“shield”).

From an anecdote in the book Han Feizi, c. 2nd century BC, illustrating a contradiction^[1][2]:

楚人有鬻楯與矛者 譽之曰 吾楯之堅 莫能陷也 又譽其矛曰 吾矛 之利 於物無不陷也 或曰 以子之矛陷子之楯 何如 其人弗能應也.

There was a man in Chu who sold shields and spears. Praising the shields he said: 'My shields are so strong that nothing can pierce them.' And praising the spears he said: 'My spears are so strong that there is nothing that they cannot pierce.' A person asked: 'What if someone pierces your shields with your spears?' He could not respond.

Pronunciation

• On'yomi: Goon
• (Tokyo) むじゅん [mùjúń] (Heiban - [0])^[2]
• IPA^(key): [mɯᵝd͡ʑɯ̃ᵝɴ]

Alternative forms

• 矛楯

Noun

矛盾 ‎(hiragana むじゅん, romaji mujun)

1. a contradiction, an inconsistency, a paradox

Synonyms

• 撞着 (どうちゃく) ‎(dōchaku)
• 逆説 (ぎゃくせつ) ‎(gyakusetsu)
• パラドックス ‎(paradokkusu)

Verb

矛盾する ‎(hiragana むじゅんする, romaji mujun suru)

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

   彼 (かれ)が今日主張 (きょうしゅちょう)する内容 (ないよう)は昨日 (きのう)の行動 (こうどう)と矛盾 (むじゅん)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. → What he's saying today doesn't jive with what he did yesterday.

Conjugation

References

1. ↑ 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
2. 1 2 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13905-9