自相矛盾
zì xiāng máo dùn · HSK 7
to contradict oneself
🛡️🗡️ self + mutual + spear + shield: a spear and shield that defeat each other
From a vendor who bragged his 矛 (spear) pierced any shield AND his 盾 (shield) blocked any spear. A buyer asked what happens when spear meets shield. The two claims cancel out, so the term means contradicting yourself.
自 — pictograph of a nose
自 originally depicted a human nose, shown frontally with the bridge and nostrils. Ancient Chinese pointed to their own nose to mean 'me,' so 自 shifted to mean 'self' or 'oneself.' A new character 鼻 was later created to carry the original 'nose' meaning.