caak3 cyun1 sai1 joeng4 geng3拆穿西洋鏡拆穿西洋镜
Jyutpingcaak3 cyun1 sai1 joeng4 geng3
Yalechaak chyūn sāi yèuhng geng
Definition
To expose a trick, hoax, or conspiracy; to uncover an organized fraud.
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
Originating from the historical street performances of Western optical devices, this idiom carries a sense of exposing a calculated deception or a staged performance. It is most effective when describing elaborate schemes or long-running lies rather than simple mistakes. Using this phrase adds a dramatic flair to your speech, implying that the person being exposed was putting on a show.
Examples
His scam was uncovered by people very quickly.
You think you can fool me? I saw through your trick a long time ago.
Related words
Common phrases
to expose a fraud in public
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of breaking an object, but it is strictly metaphorical. It cannot be used to describe simply finding a hidden item or discovering a secret that was not part of a deliberate, deceptive act.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
