是非曲直 shì fēi qū zhí right and wrong

Explanation

指正确与错误，有理与无理。用来判断事情的是非对错。

Refers to right and wrong, reasonable and unreasonable. Used to judge the right and wrong of things.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，有个县令特别明智，他善于辨别是非曲直。一日，两户人家为争夺一块地皮打起了官司。甲方声称这块地皮是祖上留下来的，有确凿的证据；乙方则说地皮是他们先开发利用的，也拿出了一些证据。双方争执不下，县令仔细察看了双方的证据，认真聆听了双方的陈述。他发现甲方的证据确凿，但乙方也确实先开发利用了这块地皮。县令思忖良久，最终公平地判决：这块地皮归甲方所有，但乙方可以得到合理的补偿。此判决，既维护了法律的尊严，又体现了人情世故，县令的公正智慧，令百姓赞叹不已。

huà shuō táng cháo shí qī, yǒu ge xiàn lìng tè bié míng zhì, tā shàn yú biàn bié shì fēi qū zhí. yī rì, liǎng hù rén jiā wèi zhēng duó yī kuài dì pí dǎ qǐ le guānsi. jiǎ fāng shēng chēng zhè kuài dì pí shì zǔ shàng liú xià lái de, yǒu què záo de zhèng jù; yǐ fāng zé shuō dì pí shì tāmen xiān kāi fā lì yòng de, yě ná chū le yī xiē zhèng jù. shuāng fāng zhēng zhí bù xià, xiàn lìng zǐ xì chá kàn le shuāng fāng de zhèng jù, rèn zhēn líng tīng le shuāng fāng de chéng shù. tā fā xiàn jiǎ fāng de zhèng jù què záo, dàn yǐ fāng yě quèshí xiān kāi fā lì yòng le zhè kuài dì pí. xiàn lìng sī cǔn liáng jiǔ, zuì zhōng gōng zhèng de pàn jué: zhè kuài dì pí guī jiǎ fāng suǒ yǒu, dàn yǐ fāng kě yǐ dé dào hélǐ de bǔ cháng. cǐ pàn jué, jì wéi hù le fǎlǜ de zūn yán, yòu tǐ xiàn le rén qíng shì gù, xiàn lìng de gōng zhèng zhìhuì, lìng bǎixìng zàn tàn bù yǐ

In the Tang Dynasty, there was a county magistrate who was known for his wisdom and fairness. One day, two families came to court disputing ownership of a piece of land. One family claimed it was their ancestral land and presented evidence to support their claim. The other family argued they had been cultivating the land for years and also offered their evidence. The magistrate carefully examined the evidence and listened to both sides. He found that the first family's evidence was stronger, but the second family had indeed been using the land for some time. After careful consideration, the magistrate issued a fair judgment: The land belonged to the first family, but the second family would receive compensation for their past use of the land. This decision satisfied both parties and showcased the magistrate's wisdom and impartiality.

Usage

通常用于评论、分析事件或问题，判断是非曲直。

tōng cháng yòng yú pínglùn, fēnxī shìjiàn huò wèntí, pànduàn shìfēi qūzhí

Usually used to comment on, analyze events or problems, and judge right from wrong.

Examples

• 这件案子的是非曲直，法官会做出公正的判决。

  zhè jiàn ànzi de shìfēi qūzhí, fǎguān huì zuò chū gōngzhèng de pànjué.

  The judge will make a fair judgment on the right and wrong of this case.

• 历史的车轮滚滚向前，是非曲直自有后人评说。

  lìshǐ de chē lún gǔn gǔn xiàng qián, shìfēi qūzhí zì yǒu hòurén píngshuō

  The wheel of history rolls forward, and posterity will judge right and wrong.

Related Idioms

• 黑白分明

• 真真假假

Opposite Idioms

• 混淆是非

• 颠倒黑白