疑信参半 Yí xìn cān bàn Half-believing and half-doubting

Explanation

形容对某事既有所怀疑，又有所相信，拿不准的态度。

Describes an attitude of both doubting and believing something, uncertain.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，有个书生叫李白，他去京城赶考。路上，他遇到一个算命先生。算命先生掐指一算，说："小兄弟，你这次考试，会取得不错的成绩，但途中会有意外发生。"李白将信将疑，心想："算命先生的话，有几分可信呢？"于是，他一边赶路，一边留意着周围的环境。果然，在途中，他遭遇了一场大雨，差点被困在山里。虽然及时脱险，但考试也因此耽误了。李白心里很复杂，既庆幸自己逃过一劫，又懊恼考试落榜。他开始反复琢磨算命先生的话，感觉似乎有些道理，却又觉得不可思议。这件事让李白对算命先生的话产生了疑信参半的感觉。从此以后，他更加谨慎小心，凡事都三思而后行，少了一些轻率，多了一些稳重。

huà shuō táng cháo shí qī, yǒu ge shūshēng jiào lǐ bái, tā qù jīngchéng gǎn kǎo. lù shàng, tā yù dào yīgè suàn mìng xiānshēng. suàn mìng xiānshēng qiā zhǐ yī suàn, shuō: ‘xiǎo xiōngdì, nǐ zhè cì kǎoshì, huì qǔdé bù cuò de chéngjī, dàn tú zhōng huì yǒu yìwài fāshēng.’ lǐ bái jiāng xìn jiāng yí, xiǎng xiàng: ‘suàn mìng xiānshēng de huà, yǒu jǐ fēn kě xìn ne?’ yúshì, tā yībān gǎn lù, yībān liúlìzhe zhōuwéi de huánjìng. guǒrán, zài tú zhōng, tā zāoyù le yī chǎng dà yǔ, chà diǎn bèi kùn zài shān lǐ. suīrán jíshí tuō xiǎn, dàn kǎoshì yě yīncǐ dānwù le. lǐ bái xīn lǐ hěn fùzá, jì qìngxìng zìjǐ táo guò yī jié, yòu àonǎo kǎoshì luò bǎng. tā kāishǐ fǎnfù zhuómō suàn mìng xiānshēng de huà, gǎnjué sìhū yǒuxiē dàolǐ, què yòu juéde bùkěsīyì. zhè jiàn shì ràng lǐ bái duì suàn mìng xiānshēng de huà chǎnshēng le yí xìn cān bàn de gǎnjué. cóng cǐ yǐhòu, tā gèngjiā jǐn shèn xiǎoxīn, fán shì dōu sān sī ér hòu xíng, shǎo le yīxiē qīngshuài, duō le yīxiē wěnzòng.

It is said that during the Tang Dynasty, there was a scholar named Li Bai who went to the capital to take the imperial examination. On the way, he met a fortune teller. The fortune teller calculated with his fingers and said, "Young brother, you will achieve good results in this exam, but there will be unexpected events on the way." Li Bai was uncertain, thinking, "How much truth is there in the fortune teller's words?" So he continued on his journey, paying attention to his surroundings. Indeed, on the way, he encountered a heavy rain and was almost trapped in the mountains. Although he escaped in time, the exam was delayed. Li Bai felt very conflicted, both grateful to have escaped a disaster and annoyed about failing the exam. He began to ponder the fortune teller's words, feeling that there might be some truth to them, yet also finding them unbelievable. This incident made Li Bai feel ambivalent about the fortune teller's words. From then on, he became more cautious and thoughtful, considering things carefully before acting, becoming less impetuous and more steady.

Usage

用于形容对某件事既相信又怀疑，拿不准态度。

yòng yú xiáoróng duì mǒu jiàn shì jì xiāngxìn yòu huáiyí, ná bù zhǔn tàidu

Used to describe an uncertain attitude towards something, both believing and doubting.

Examples

• 我对他的话将信将疑，疑信参半。

  wǒ duì tā de huà jiāng xìn jiāng yí, yí xìn cān bàn

  I'm half-believing and half-doubting about his words.

• 这消息真假难辨，让人疑信参半。

  zhè xiāoxi zhēn jiǎ nán biàn, ràng rén yí xìn cān bàn

  This news is hard to tell whether it is true or false, making one half-believe and half-doubt

Related Idioms

• 将信将疑

• 半信半疑

Opposite Idioms

• 深信不疑

• 信以为真