What is the translation of "此地无银三百两" in English?

The phrase "此地无银三百两" translates colloquially to: "No three hundred taels of silver buried here—giving away one's secret through clumsy denial."

What does the word "此地" mean in this context?

In this phrase, "此地" (pronounced cǐ dì) means: This place. '此' means 'this,' and '地' means 'place' or 'ground.' Together, it refers to a specific location.

What does the word "无银" mean in this context?

In this phrase, "无银" (pronounced wú yín) means: No silver. '无' means 'without' or 'none,' and '银' means 'silver.' Together, it indicates the absence of silver.

What does the word "三百" mean in this context?

In this phrase, "三百" (pronounced sān bǎi) means: Three hundred. '三' means 'three,' and '百' means 'hundred.' Together, it represents the number three hundred.

What does the word "两" mean in this context?

In this phrase, "两" (pronounced liǎng) means: Tael (a unit of weight for currency). In this context, it refers to a traditional Chinese unit of measurement for silver.

What does the word "试图" mean in this context?

In this phrase, "试图" (pronounced tú shì) means: To try to; to attempt. '试图' is a verb phrase meaning 'to make an effort to do something.'

What does the word "隐藏" mean in this context?

In this phrase, "隐藏" (pronounced yǐn cáng) means: To hide; to conceal. '隐藏' means to keep something out of sight or unknown.

What does the word "否认" mean in this context?

In this phrase, "否认" (pronounced fǒu rèn) means: To deny; to reject. '否认' means to refuse to accept or acknowledge something.

What does the word "尴尬" mean in this context?

In this phrase, "尴尬" (pronounced gān gà) means: Awkward; embarrassing. '尴尬' describes a situation where someone feels uncomfortable or self-conscious.

What does the word "防御" mean in this context?

In this phrase, "防御" (pronounced fáng yù) means: Defense; protection. '防御' refers to actions taken to protect oneself from harm or attack.

What does the word "暴露" mean in this context?

In this phrase, "暴露" (pronounced bào lù) means: To expose; to reveal. '暴露' means to make something visible or known that was previously hidden.

⚡ Interactive

Chinese quotes breakdown: 此地无银三百两

Q: What is the translation of "An idiomatic expression used when someone tries to hide something or deny guilt, but their awkward actions or overly defensive words make it completely obvious." in English?

The phrase "An idiomatic expression used when someone tries to hide something or deny guilt, but their awkward actions or overly defensive words make it completely obvious." translates colloquially to: "An idiom used when someone tries to hide something or deny being guilty, but their clumsy behavior or overly defensive words reveal everything."

Not a Dictionary · Sentence Card

此地无银三百两

“No three hundred taels of silver buried here”—giving away one’s secret through clumsy denial.

此地 cǐ dì this place 🔊

无银 wú yín no silver 🔊

三百 sān bǎi three hundred 🔊

两 liǎng taels (currency weight) 🔊

An idiomatic expression used when someone tries to hide something or deny guilt, but their awkward actions or overly defensive words make it completely obvious.

此地无银三百两 (Cǐ dì wú yín sān bǎi liǎng)

Based on a famous folk tale about a man named Zhang who buried his savings and put up a sign saying “no three hundred taels of silver buried here” to fool thieves, only to expose himself instantly. People use this phrase today whenever someone’s clumsy attempt at covering up a mistake actually points straight to their guilt.

TARGET SENTENCE

Giving away a secret through clumsy denial.

Chinese quotes breakdown: 此地无银三百两

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