call black white (and white black)
Zhao Gao wanted to rebel
, but he didn't know how many people in the court
would stand by his side.
So he worked out a way to test the people.
He presented a deer as a tribute
to the emperor
in front of the court, and said that it was a swift
Then, Zhao Gao took this opportunity
to ask the court, "Is this a deer or a horse?"
In the court, those who didn't dare to go against Zhao Gao agreed with him and said that it was a horse, those who dared to go against Zhao Gao said that it was a deer.
Later, Zhao Gao remembered the counselors who didn't agree with him and persecuted them to solidify
This story is still popular even today. People use this idiom to describe someone who calls white black.
英语中表达“指鹿为马”意思的短语可以用“call black white (and white black)”，意思也就是“把黑的当白的，把白的当作黑的”，这样也就是颠倒是非啦~