hei1 soeng6 mun4 haa6欺上瞞下欺上瞒下
Jyutpinghei1 soeng6 mun4 haa6
Yalehēi seuhng mùhn hah
Definition
To deceive one's superiors and hide the truth from one's subordinates.
writtenworkpeople
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong negative connotation, specifically describing someone in a position of authority who manipulates information to protect their own interests. It implies a two-way deception where the person lies to those above them to cover up mistakes and lies to those below them to maintain control. It is frequently used in professional or political contexts to criticize corrupt or dishonest management.
Examples
He is always deceiving his superiors and subordinates, so he is hard to trust.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general term for lying, but it specifically requires a hierarchical context involving both superiors and subordinates. It is not used for simple lies between friends or peers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
