Dictionary › 以子之矛，攻子之盾

以子之矛，攻子之盾

yǐ zǐ zhī máo , gōng zǐ zhī dùn

9-character word

What 以子之矛，攻子之盾 means

1. lit. use sb's spear to attack his shield (idiom, derived from Han Feizi 韩非子); turning a weapon against its owner
2. fig. to attack an opponent using his own devices
3. hoist with his own petard

The characters in 以子之矛，攻子之盾

• 以yǐto use; by means of; according to
• 子zinoun suffix, as in 椅子
• 之zhī(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的; him; her
• 矛máospear; lance; pike
• 攻gōngto attack; to accuse; to study
• 子zinoun suffix, as in 椅子
• 之zhī(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的; him; her
• 盾dùnshield; (currency) Vietnamese dong; currency unit of several countries…