# 矛盾
## Chinese

* 矛盾 (Written Standard Chinese)
* Irresistible force paradox (English)

### Etymology

From a tale in Han Feizi first attested in c. 2nd century BCE.
    楚人有鬻盾與矛者，譽之曰：「吾盾之堅，物莫能陷之。」以譽其矛曰：「吾矛之利，於物無不陷也。」或曰：「以子之矛陷子之盾，何如？」其人弗能應也。夫不可陷之盾與無不陷之矛，不可同世而立。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]楚人有鬻盾与矛者，誉之曰：「吾盾之坚，物莫能陷之。」以誉其矛曰：「吾矛之利，于物无不陷也。」或曰：「以子之矛陷子之盾，何如？」其人弗能应也。夫不可陷之盾与无不陷之矛，不可同世而立。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: Han Feizi, circa 2nd century BCEChǔ rén yǒu yù dùn yǔ máo zhě, yù zhī yuē: “Wú dùn zhī jiān, wù mò néng xiàn zhī.” Yǐ yù qí máo yuē: “Wú máo zhī lì, yú wù wú bù xiàn yě.” Huò yuē: “Yǐ zǐ zhī máo xiàn zǐ zhī dùn, hérú?” Qí rén fú néng yìng yě. Fú bùkě xiàn zhī dùn yǔ wú bù xiàn zhī máo, bùkě tóng shì ér lì. [Pinyin]There was once a man in the state of Chu, who was selling shields and lances. He was praising them saying: “My shields are so firm, that there is nothing that can pierce them.” He praised his lances saying: “My lances are so sharp, that there is nothing that they cannot pierce.” Someone asked: “What if you used your lances to pierce your shields?” The man could not answer. A shield that cannot be pierced and a lance that can pierce everything cannot exist in the same world.

### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): máodùn, máoshǔn
    (Zhuyin): ㄇㄠˊ ㄉㄨㄣˋ, ㄇㄠˊ ㄕㄨㄣˇ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): maau$^4$ teon$^5$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): màu-tún
    (Hailu, HRS): mau tun$^ˊ$
* Eastern Min (BUC): màu-dōng
* Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): bâu-tún / mâu-tún / mô͘-tún
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^6$mau-den; $^6$meu-den
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese, standard)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: máodùn
*** Zhuyin: ㄇㄠˊ ㄉㄨㄣˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: máodùn
*** Wade–Giles: mao$^2$-tun$^4$
*** Yale: máu-dwùn
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: mauduenn
*** Palladius: маодунь (maodunʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /mɑʊ̯³⁵ tu̯ən⁵¹/
** (Standard Chinese, old variant)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: máoshǔn
*** Zhuyin: ㄇㄠˊ ㄕㄨㄣˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: máoshǔn
*** Wade–Giles: mao$^2$-shun$^3$
*** Yale: máu-shwǔn
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: maushoen
*** Palladius: маошунь (maošunʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /mɑʊ̯³⁵ ʂu̯ən²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: maau$^4$ teon$^5$
*** Yale: màauh téuhn
*** Cantonese Pinyin: maau$^4$ toen$^5$
*** Guangdong Romanization: mao$^4$ tên$^5$
*** Sinological IPA : /maːu̯²¹ tʰɵn¹³/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: màu-tún
*** Hakka Romanization System: mau$^ˇ$ dun$^ˋ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: mau$^2$ dun$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /mau̯¹¹ tun³¹/
** (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
*** Hakka Romanization System: mau tun$^ˊ$
*** Sinological IPA: /mau⁵⁵ tʰun²⁴/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: màu-dōng
*** Sinological IPA : /mau⁵³⁻³³ $^{(t-)}$louŋ³³/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: bâu-tún
*** Tâi-lô: bâu-tún
*** Phofsit Daibuun: bau'duon
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /bau²⁴⁻²² tun⁵⁵⁴/
** (Hokkien: General Taiwanese, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Philippines)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: mâu-tún
*** Tâi-lô: mâu-tún
*** Phofsit Daibuun: mau'duon
*** IPA (Zhangzhou): /mãu¹³⁻²² tun⁵³/
*** IPA (Xiamen): /mãu²⁴⁻²² tun⁵³/
*** IPA (Philippines): /mau²⁴⁻²² tun⁵⁵⁴/
*** IPA (Taipei): /mãu²⁴⁻¹¹ tun⁵³/
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /mãu²³⁻³³ tun⁴¹/
** (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Xiamen)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: mô͘-tún
*** Tâi-lô: môo-tún
*** Phofsit Daibuun: mo'duon
*** IPA (Xiamen): /mɔ̃²⁴⁻²² tun⁵³/
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /mɔ̃²⁴⁻²² tun⁵⁵⁴/
* Wu
** (Northern: Shanghai)
*** Wugniu: $^6$mau-den; $^6$meu-den
*** MiniDict: mau$^去$ den; meu$^去$ den
*** Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): $^3$mau-den; $^3$meu-den
*** Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /mɔ²² dən⁴⁴/, /mɤ²² dən⁴⁴/
* Middle Chinese: mjuw zywinX|dwonX
Rime :
| Character | 矛 | 盾 | 盾 |
| Reading # | 1/1 | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 明 (4) | 船 (27) | 定 (7) |
| Final (韻) | 尤 (136) | 諄 (47) | 魂 (55) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) | Rising (X) | Rising (X) |
| Openness (開合) | Open | Closed | Closed |
| Division (等) | III | III | I |
| Fanqie | 莫浮切 | 食尹切 | 徒損切 |
| Baxter | mjuw | zywinX | dwonX |
| Reconstructions ||||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /mɨu/ | /ʑiuɪn$^X$/ | /duən$^X$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /miu/ | /ʑʷin$^X$/ | /duon$^X$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /miəu/ | /ʑjuen$^X$/ | /duən$^X$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /muw/ | /ʑwin$^X$/ | /dwən$^X$/ |
| Li Rong | /miu/ | /d͡ʑiuĕn$^X$/ | /duən$^X$/ |
| Wang Li | /mĭəu/ | /d͡ʑĭuĕn$^X$/ | /duən$^X$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /mi̯ə̯u/ | /d͡ʑʰi̯uĕn$^X$/ | /dʱuən$^X$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | móu | shùn | dùn |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | mau$^4$ | seon$^6$ | deon$^6$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*m(r)u lˤu[n]ʔ/
    (Zhengzhang): /*mu l'uːnʔ|ɦljunʔ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 矛 | 盾 |
| Reading # | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | máo | dùn |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ mjuw › | ‹ dwon$^X$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*m(r)u/ | /*lˁu[n]ʔ/ |
| English | a kind of lance | shield |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. |||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 矛 | 盾 | 盾 |
| Reading # | 1/1 | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| No. | 8814 | 2623 | 2631 |
| Phonetic component | 矛 | 盾 | 盾 |
| Rime group | 幽 | 文 | 文 |
| Rime subdivision | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 謀 | 囤 | 盾 |
| Old Chinese | /*mu/ | /*l'uːnʔ/ | /*ɦljunʔ/ |

### Noun

矛盾 (idiomatic)
* contradiction; inconsistency; disagreement; incongruity
    加劇矛盾／加剧矛盾 ― jiājù máodùn ― heightening the contradictions
* problem; issue; conflict
    階級矛盾／阶级矛盾 ― jiējí máodùn ― class conflict
    種族矛盾／种族矛盾 ― zhǒngzú máodùn ― ethnic conflict
* (logic, philosophy) paradox

#### Synonyms

* (problem):
* 問題 / 问题 (wèntí)
* 婁子 / 娄子 (lóuzi) (colloquial)
* 疑難 / 疑难 (yínán)
* 茶包 (chábāo) (slang)
* 難題 / 难题 (nántí)
* 難點 / 难点 (nándiǎn)
* 麻煩 / 麻烦 (máfan)
* (paradox): 悖論／悖论 (bèilùn)

### Adjective

矛盾
* conflicted; vacillating between two options
       Tā de xīnli hěn máodùn. [Pinyin]
       He is feeling really conflicted.

#### Synonyms

* 糾結／纠结 (jiūjié)

### Derived terms

* 人民內部矛盾 / 人民内部矛盾 (rénmín nèibù máodùn)
* 前後矛盾 / 前后矛盾 (qiánhòumáodùn)
* 大相矛盾
* 敵我矛盾 / 敌我矛盾 (díwǒ máodùn)
* 矛盾律 (máodùnlǜ)
* 矛盾方程式
* 矛盾相向
* 自相矛盾 (zìxiāngmáodùn)
* 階級矛盾 / 阶级矛盾

### Descendants

* → Japanese: 矛盾(むじゅん) (mujun)
* → Korean: 모순(矛盾) (mosun)
* → Vietnamese: mâu thuẫn (矛盾)

## Japanese

Kanji in this term :
| 矛 | 盾 |
| む Grade: S | じゅん Grade: S |
| on'yomi ||

### Alternative forms

* 矛楯

### Etymology

From Middle Chinese 矛盾 (MC mjuw zywinX), literally 矛 (“lance, spear”) + 盾 (“shield”). See the Chinese etymology section for the full derivation.

### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) むじゅん [mùjúń] (Heiban – [0])
* IPA: [mɯ̟ʑɨ̃ɴ]

### Noun

矛(む)盾(じゅん) • (mujun)
* a contradiction, an inconsistency, a paradox

#### Synonyms

* 撞(どう)着(ちゃく) (dōchaku)
* 逆(ぎゃく)説(せつ) (gyakusetsu)
* パラドックス (paradokkusu)

### Verb

矛(む)盾(じゅん)する • (mujun suru) suru (stem 矛(む)盾(じゅん)し (mujun shi), past 矛(む)盾(じゅん)した (mujun shita))
* to be inconsistent, to be in contradiction, to be incompatible with
    彼(かれ)が今日(きょう)主(しゅ)張(ちょう)する内(ない)容(よう)は昨日(きのう)の行(こう)動(どう)と矛(む)盾(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.

#### Conjugation

Katsuyōkei ("stem forms") :
| Mizenkei ("imperfective") | 矛盾し | むじゅんし | mujun shi |
| Ren’yōkei ("continuative") | 矛盾し | むじゅんし | mujun shi |
| Shūshikei ("terminal") | 矛盾する | むじゅんする | mujun suru |
| Rentaikei ("attributive") | 矛盾する | むじゅんする | mujun suru |
| Kateikei ("hypothetical") | 矛盾すれ | むじゅんすれ | mujun sure |
| Meireikei ("imperative") | 矛盾せよ¹ 矛盾しろ² | むじゅんせよ¹ むじゅんしろ² | mujun seyo¹ mujun shiro² |
| Key constructions ||||
| Passive | 矛盾される | むじゅんされる | mujun sareru |
| Causative | 矛盾させる 矛盾さす | むじゅんさせる むじゅんさす | mujun saseru mujun sasu |
| Potential | 矛盾できる | むじゅんできる | mujun dekiru |
| Volitional | 矛盾しよう | むじゅんしよう | mujun shiyō |
| Negative | 矛盾しない | むじゅんしない | mujun shinai |
| Negative continuative | 矛盾せず | むじゅんせず | mujun sezu |
| Formal | 矛盾します | むじゅんします | mujun shimasu |
| Perfective | 矛盾した | むじゅんした | mujun shita |
| Conjunctive | 矛盾して | むじゅんして | mujun shite |
| Hypothetical conditional | 矛盾すれば | むじゅんすれば | mujun sureba |
| ¹ Written imperative ² Spoken imperative ||||

### References

* ↑ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

## Korean

Hanja in this term :
| 矛 | 盾 |

### Noun

矛盾 • (mosun) (hangeul 모순)
* hanja form of 모순 (“contradiction”)

## Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term :
| 矛 | 盾 |

### Noun

矛盾
* chữ Hán form of mâu thuẫn (“contradiction”).