ご飯はん論ろん法ぽう

noun

evasive debating tactic by quibbling over definitions

A humorous term for a rhetorical trick where one avoids a direct answer by arguing about the meaning of a word, often used in political or online discourse. The name comes from a famous example involving the definition of 'gohan' (meal/rice).

• あの政せい治じ家かはご飯はん論ろん法ぽうを使つかって質しつ問もんに答こたえなかった。

  That politician used the 'gohan debate tactic' to avoid answering the question.

• 「朝あさごはんは食たべましたか」と聞きかれて「ご飯はん（米こめ）は食たべていませんが、パンは食たべました」と答こたえるのがご飯はん論ろん法ぽうだ。

  When asked 'Did you eat breakfast?', replying 'I didn't eat rice, but I ate bread' is an example of the gohan-ronpō tactic.