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指桑骂槐

zhǐ sāng mà huái

4-character word Traditional 指桑罵槐

What 指桑骂槐 means

1. lit. to point at the mulberry tree and curse the locust tree
2. fig. to scold sb indirectly
3. to make oblique accusations (idiom)

The characters in 指桑骂槐

• 指zhǐfinger; to point at or to; to indicate or refer to
• 桑sāng(bound form) mulberry tree
• 骂màto scold; to abuse; to curse
• 槐huáiChinese scholar tree (Sophora japonica); Japanese pagoda tree