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HSK 4 Chinese reading practice

疑邻盗斧

yí lín dào fǔ

Suspecting the Neighbor’s Son

A missing axe makes every ordinary gesture look suspicious, until the owner finds it himself.

RECOMMENDEDHSK 4
READ1 min
HANZI200
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文化
CULTURE

What does 疑邻盗斧 mean?

疑邻盗斧 (yí lín dào fǔ) describes suspicion without evidence that distorts how someone interprets another person’s behavior. This short retelling follows the lost-axe fable in the Shuofu chapter of the Liezi: the owner finds the axe while digging in a valley, and his view of the neighbor’s son changes. The interpretation belongs here, rather than as a moral added to the narration.

Key vocabulary9 words from this story
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Answer three questions without looking at the English translation.

01这个人丢了什么？
02这个人在哪里找到了斧子？
03找到斧子以后，什么变了？
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Chinese idiom guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about 疑邻盗斧

What does 疑邻盗斧 mean in English?

疑邻盗斧 (yí lín dào fǔ) literally means “suspect the neighbor of stealing an axe.” It describes letting unsupported suspicion make ordinary behavior look like evidence of wrongdoing.

When is 疑邻盗斧 used?

Use 疑邻盗斧 (yí lín dào fǔ) to criticize judging someone through an unfounded suspicion. In the original fable, the suspected person is the neighbor’s son. It does not mean investigating a concern using real evidence. For example: 只是没找到钱包，你就觉得同事的每个动作都可疑，这不是疑邻盗斧吗？ (Just because you cannot find your wallet, you treat every move your coworker makes as suspicious—isn’t that jumping to conclusions?)

What is the pinyin for 疑邻盗斧?

The pinyin pronunciation for 疑邻盗斧 is “yí lín dào fǔ.”