jyun4 jing4 bat1 lou6原形畢露原形毕露
Jyutpingjyun4 jing4 bat1 lou6
Yaleyùhn yìhng bāt louh
Definition
To reveal one's true colors or true self; to be unmasked.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This idiom is used specifically when someone fails to maintain a facade or a false persona. It implies a sense of inevitability, suggesting that the truth is bound to surface regardless of how hard the person tries to hide it. It carries a slightly dramatic or judgmental tone, often used to criticize someone who is being hypocritical or insincere.
Examples
He was acting all fake, but who knew he would reveal his true colors as soon as he got drunk.
If you keep lying, you will eventually expose your true self.
Related words
Common phrases
finally revealed one's true colors
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple verb phrase, but it is a fixed four-character idiom that functions as a predicate. It cannot be modified by adding particles like 咗 or 緊 inside the phrase, as that would break the idiom structure.
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.
