狐狸尾巴

Pronunciation: hú li wěi ba Literal meaning: Fox's tail

Origin & Usage

In Chinese fox lore the fox that takes human form is betrayed by the one part of the disguise it cannot manage: the tail (尾巴). The phrase is used of the detail that gives someone away rather than of deception in general, and it usually appears in the construction 露出狐狸尾巴, to let the fox's tail show. What it implies is that the concealment was working until a specific slip, which makes it more pointed than simply saying someone was found out.

Examples

English: "His careful public image slipped, revealing his true selfish intentions"

Chinese: 他精心设计的公众形象滑落，暴露了他真正的自私意图