Zheng renzhengnian

Zheng renzhengnian

Zheng renzhengnian, a Chinese idiom, refers to the fact that an argument is groundless and meaningless.

original text

In Han Feizi's Wai Chu Shuo (upper left), it is said that there are people in Zheng Dynasty who compete with each other for their age. One of them says, "I am the same age as Yao." One of them said, "I was the same year as the brother of the Yellow Emperor." If the lawsuit is not decided, the one who stops later will win the ear. "

notes

Yao: the legendary leader of the tribal alliance in the late patriarchal clan society, known as Tang Yao in history. Yellow Emperor: the common ancestor of all ethnic groups in the Central Plains. To argue or argue. breath: stop. year: age.

translation

There are two Zheng people who argue about who is older? One of them said, "I was born in the same year as Emperor Yao." Another said, "I was born in the same year as Huangdi's brother." Two people upgrade in turn, each does not give in to each other, arguing endlessly, only with who can always say the last, who is the winner.

moral

There were two people in the state of Zheng who argued with each other about who was older. They were deadlocked with each other. Later, the man who finally shut up won. A meaningless argument or dispute.

usage

To make a blind argument.