Calling a deer a horse is a classical Chinese sentence.

Calling a deer a horse-deliberate misinterpretation

Original 1

Zhao Gao wanted to make trouble, fearing that the ministers would not listen, he set up a checkpoint first, presented a deer to the second child and said, "Ma Ye." II laughed and said, "Is there anything wrong with the Prime Minister? Call the deer a horse. " Left ask right ask, left ask right ask or silence, or say that Ma Yi is obedient to Zhao Gao, or say that the deer will die. Because of the high yin, deer can use it. After all, ministers are afraid of heights. (Sima Qian's Historical Records of Qin Shihuang)

Translation 1

Zhao Gao wants to rebel (usurp the Qin regime), and I'm afraid the ministers won't listen to him, so they set a trap and test it first. So he brought a deer to II and said, "This is a horse." The younger generation smiled and said, "Is there anything wrong with the Prime Minister? You call a deer a horse. " Ask the minister around him. Some ministers were silent, some deliberately catered to Zhao Gao, saying it was a horse, and some said it was a deer. Zhao Gao used the law as an excuse to secretly slander (or frame) people who said they were deer. Since then, ministers have been afraid of Zhao Gao.

Original version 2

In Qin Ershi, Zhao Gao rode a deer. The king said, "What does the Prime Minister mean by driving deer?" Gao said, the king said, "The Prime Minister also made a mistake and took the deer for a horse." Gao Yue said, "Your Majesty wants to ask his ministers if I say otherwise." I said it was half deer and half horse. At this time, the king of Qin could not rightfully follow the theory of evil ministers. (Jia "New Words and Confusion")

Translation 2

When he was in Qin Ershi, Zhao Gao and II traveled in a deer. I asked him, "Why did the Prime Minister drive a deer?" Zhao Gao said, "This is a horse!" The second said, "The Prime Minister made a mistake and treated the deer as a horse." Zhao Gao said, "This is indeed a horse! If (Your Majesty) thinks that what I said is wrong, I hope (Your Majesty allows me) to ask the ministers. " Ministers say it's half deer and half horse. At this time, the king of Qin did not believe in himself, but trusted the treacherous court official.