鹿を指して馬となす

しかをさしてうまとなす

Also written 鹿を指して馬と為す

Meanings

1. Expression to deliberately misinterpret; to invert right and wrong (literally: to point to a deer and call it a horse)

Kanji

• 鹿 deer. Read as しか.
• 指 indicate. Read as さし.
• 馬 horse. Read as うま.

Jinuma: Japanese Dictionary · Word lists