Talk:護短
@Richwarm88 It's not necessarily someone else's wrongdoing; 《现代汉语规范词典》: "袒护自己或跟自己亲近的人的短处或过失。" 《现代汉语词典》: "为自己或与自己有关的人的缺点或过失辩护。" 《汉语大词典》: "为缺点或过失辩护。 " Wyang (talk) 11:51, 24 October 2018 (UTC)
> It's not necessarily someone else's wrongdoing
Yes. That's clear from my notes below (which I was about to paste in), and that's why I put "etc." in my definition. But no doubt my wording could be improved.
1) That first gloss (to shield one's shortcoming) doesn't make sense to me. I wouldn't know what to make of an expression like "He shielded his laziness." or "She shielded her lack of attention to detail."
2) The following sources suggest 护短 is about defending people who may have done something wrong rather than covering up errors. It seems that 护短 can involve assertively confronting accusers rather than furtively covering up one's mistakes (which is what "cover up errors" suggests to me).
Grand Ricci ~ Prendre la défense, se faire l’avocat de qn (qu’on sait pourtant être coupable).
XHGC ~ 袒護自己或跟自己親近的人的短處或過失
HDC ~ 为缺点或过失辩护。
Some comments on Stack Exchange:
"This word is usually used to describe people who stop others from pointing out and criticizing their own weakness or their family, relatives or friends' weakness and mistakes ,and meanwhile defend themselves and their mistakes. 护短 is a very common and irrational phenomenon. Yes,it means people don't accept mistakes which are related to their family, relatives, friends and themselves." [1]
"Most times, 护短 refers to protect your own member(s) (in your family or your organization) who is faulty in a dispute or fight. Let's say your kid quarreled with another kid of your neighbors'. You will speak for your own kid even though it is your kid's fault." [Ibid.]
The Baike article on 护短 says, for example, 不容许别人对此进行指责、批评。[2]
The following answer is on Zhihu:
Q 担当与护短的区别?
A 担当是，我妹妹犯了错。 我知道错了之后，该处罚的处罚，该受的指责和辱骂请放到我身上来。 说的话是，对不起，谢谢。
护短是，我妹妹犯了错。 我知道错了之后，死不承认还要指责对方，反泼脏水上去。 说的话是，你要不要脸，滚。 [3]
Richwarm88 (talk) 12:04, 24 October 2018 (UTC)
Change to "to stick up for a relative (or a friend or oneself) even if one knows that that person is in the wrong"?
Richwarm88 (talk) 12:04, 24 October 2018 (UTC)
- Yes, I think this is better; maybe changing "a relative (or a friend or oneself)" to "oneself or someone close to oneself" (or reversed) is even better. Wyang (talk) 12:08, 24 October 2018 (UTC)
- I've made that change. Richwarm88 (talk) 12:17, 24 October 2018 (UTC)