出尔反尔 chū ěr fǎn ěr

break one's promise; say one thing then do another

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency 30901st word

Definitions

  1. 1. old: to reap the consequences of one's words (idiom, from Mencius); modern: to go back on one's word
  2. 2. to contradict oneself
  3. 3. inconsistent
  4. 4. to blow hot and cold

Characters

Character Meaning
出 chū HSK 1
to go out; to come out
尔 ěr HSK 4
variant of 爾ěr; so; thus
反 fǎn HSK 4
opposite; to oppose; against
尔 ěr HSK 4
variant of 爾ěr; so; thus