理屈词穷 lǐ qū cí qióng Speechless due to lack of argument

Explanation

理屈：道理；词穷：话说尽了，说不出话来。指因为理亏而无法辩驳。

Líqū: Reason; cíqióng: Words are exhausted, one can't say anything more. It means that one can't argue because of being wrong.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，有个叫李白的诗人，有一次他跟朋友在酒楼喝酒，喝到兴头上，李白就豪情万丈地吟诗作赋。这时，一个官员走过来，说李白写的诗歌讽刺朝廷，并要将他抓起来。李白当时就怒了，他据理力争，滔滔不绝地反驳官员的指控。但是，官员证据确凿，李白最终理屈词穷，被带走了。

huà shuō táng cháo shí qī, yǒu gè jiào lǐ bái de shī rén, yǒu yī cì tā gēn péngyǒu zài jiǔ lóu hē jiǔ, hē dào xīng tóu shàng, lǐ bái jiù háoqíng wàn zhàng de yín shī zuò fù. zhè shí, yīgè guān yuán zǒu guò lái, shuō lǐ bái xiě de shīgē fěngcì cháoting, bìng yào jiāng tā zhuā qǐ lái. lǐ bái dāng shí jiù nù le, tā jù lǐ lì zhēng, tāotāo bùjué de fǎnbó guān yuán de zhǐ kòng. dàn shì, guān yuán zhèngjù quèzáom, lǐ bái zuìzhōng lǐ qū cí qióng, bèi dài zǒu le.

During the Tang Dynasty, there was a famous poet named Li Bai. Once, when he was drinking with friends at a restaurant, he was accused by an official of satirizing the court in his poems. Li Bai defended himself vehemently, but the official had compelling evidence, and Li Bai, who ran out of arguments, was eventually arrested.

Usage

形容理亏而无法辩解。常用于口语中。

xiáoróng lǐ kuī ér wúfǎ biànjiě

Describes being in the wrong and unable to argue. Often used in spoken language.

Examples

• 他理屈词穷，只好承认错误。

  tā lǐ qū cí qióng, zhǐ hǎo chéngrèn cuòwù

  He was speechless and had to admit his mistake.

• 面对法官的质问，他理屈词穷，无言以对。

  miàn duì fǎguān de zhìwèn, tā lǐ qū cí qióng, wú yán yǐ duì

  Faced with the judge's questions, he was at a loss for words.

• 在证据面前，他理屈词穷，不得不低头认罪。

  zài zhèngjù miàn qián, tā lǐ qū cí qióng, bù dé bù dītóu rèn zuì

  In the face of the evidence, he was speechless and had to plead guilty..

Related Idioms

• 张口结舌

• 哑口无言

• 无言以对

Opposite Idioms

• 理直气壮

• 振振有词

• 义正词严