Definition
上纲上线 is a fixed expression (chengyu) from PRC political discourse, originally referring to the Mao-era practice of criticizing someone from the 'higher plane of principle and the two-line struggle'. In modern usage, it means to exaggerate a minor issue by framing it as a serious matter of ideological principle or political line. It carries a sarcastic or critical tone — you use it when someone blows a trivial problem out of proportion by invoking abstract, high-level concepts.
f.e.
to exaggerate a minor issue by framing it as a matter of principle or ideological line (often sarcastic or critical)
Examples
- 上纲上线，。Bù yào bǎ xiǎo shì suíbiàn shǎng, wèntí méi nàme yánzhòng.Don't casually blow a small thing out of proportion by linking it to principles; the problem isn't that serious.
- 上纲上线，。Tā pīpíng tóngshì shí zǒng xǐhuan shǎng, dàjiā dōu hěn fǎngǎn.When he criticizes colleagues, he always likes to exaggerate it as a matter of principle; everyone finds it annoying.
- 上纲上线，。Zhège fāyán chōngmǎn le shǎng de qiāngdiào, tīng qǐlai xiàng shì zhèngzhì pīpàn.This speech was full of that tone of blowing things up to the level of principles; it sounded like a political criticism.
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