JLPT N1Four-character idioms
朝令暮改
- Meaning
- 命令や方針が頻繁に変わって定まらないこと
- Explanation
- 「朝令暮改」, literally revising in the evening an order issued in the morning, is a critical term for policies or instructions that change constantly and are never settled. c1 is the everyday misunderstanding of treating it as 「a day's plan」, but it originally points to the instability of policy. Be careful, as it is easily confused with 「朝三暮四」 (being deceived by superficial differences).
Original Japanese explanation
「朝令暮改」は朝に出した命令を夕方には改めるという字義どおり、方針や指示がころころ変わって一定しないことを批判的に言う語。c1 は「一日の計画」とする日常的な誤解で、本来は方針の不安定さを指す。「朝三暮四」（目先の違いにごまかされること）と混同しやすいので注意。
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