tau1 lung4 zyun2 fung6偷龍轉鳳偷龙转凤

Jyutpingtau1 lung4 zyun2 fung6

Yaletāu lùhng jyún fuhng

Definition

To secretly swap one thing for another to deceive others; pull a fast one.

colloquialother

How it's used

Originating from traditional Chinese opera and literature, this idiom describes a sophisticated act of deception where a valuable item is replaced by a fake. It carries a slightly dramatic or literary flair, often used to describe elaborate schemes in business or crime. Unlike simple words for cheating, it implies a level of planning and stealth that makes the switch difficult to detect.

Examples

keoi5佢dei6哋soeng2想tau1偷lung4龍zyun2轉fung6鳳，wun6換zau2走go3個zan1真fo3貨。

They want to pull a switcheroo and swap out the real item.

bin1邊go3個gau3夠daam2膽喺hai2我ngo5眼ngaan5皮pei4底dai2下haa6偷tau1龍lung4轉zyun2鳳fung6呀？

Who dares to secretly swap things right under my nose?

Common phrases

sau2手faat3法tau1偷lung4龍zyun2轉fung6鳳

using a switcheroo tactic

Common mistake

Avoid using this for simple mistakes or minor lies, as it specifically implies a deliberate, calculated substitution of one object for another. It is not used for general dishonesty.