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欲盖弥彰

欲蓋彌彰
yùgài-mízhāng
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 the more you try to hide it, the more it shows
  2. 2 a cover-up that backfires
  3. 3 attempting to conceal only makes it more obvious

Examples

HSK 7-9
他越解释越可疑，真是欲盖弥彰。
Tā yuè jiěshì yuè kěyí, zhēnshì yùgàimízhāng.
The more he explained, the more suspicious it looked - a classic case of a cover-up making things worse.
HSK 7-9
她慌忙把信藏起来，反而欲盖弥彰。
Tā huāngmáng bǎ xìn cáng qǐlai, fǎn'ér yùgài-mízhāng.
She hurriedly hid the letter, which only made it more obvious.

Tips

history
From 《左传·昭公三十一年》: 或欲盖而名章 ('some try to conceal, yet their name becomes famous'). Originally moral commentary: you can't hide an act of injustice - trying to will only expose it more.

Stroke Order

欲 yù
盖 gài
弥 mí
彰 zhāng