tam3 gwai2 sik6 dau6 fu6氹鬼食豆腐

Jyutpingtam3 gwai2 sik6 dau6 fu6

Yaletam gwái sihk dauh fuh

Definition

To make a feeble, easily detected attempt to trick someone or lure them into a trap.

colloquialother

How it's used

This idiom literally translates to coaxing a ghost into eating tofu, which is a soft and bland food that ghosts would have no reason to be tricked into consuming. It is used to describe a deception that is so clumsy or poorly constructed that it is insulting to the intelligence of the target. It carries a strong sense of mockery toward the person attempting the trick.

Examples

nei5你ji5以wai4為tam3氹gwai2鬼sik6食dau6豆fu6腐zau6就ho2可ji5以aak3呃dou3到ngo5我me1咩？

Do you really think you can fool me with such a transparent trick?

keoi5佢jung6用ni1呢di1啲ze3藉hau2口tam5氹gwai2鬼sik6食dau6豆fu6腐，bin1邊jau5有jan4人wui2會seon3信aa1呀。

Nobody is going to believe him when he uses such an obvious lie to lure them in.

Common phrases

tam3氹gwai2鬼sik6食dau6豆fu6腐

a transparently poor trick

Common mistake

Do not use this phrase to describe a clever or sophisticated con. It is strictly reserved for traps or lies that are laughably transparent and doomed to fail from the start.