露马脚 (lòu mǎ jiǎo) — (idiom) to give oneself away; to reveal one's true nature or hidden secret

Definition

Idiom meaning 'to give oneself away' — a lie, disguise, or secret becomes visible. Used for plans, statements, or people, similar in feel to English 'show your true colors'.

idiom
to give oneself awayto reveal one's true nature or hidden secret

Examples

  • 露马脚。
    Tā zhè cì lòu mǎ jiǎo le.
    He gave himself away this time.
  • ，。
    Tā shuō de huà lù le mǎ jiǎo, dà jiā dōu bú xìn le.
    What he said gave him away, and no one believed him anymore.
  • 露马脚。
    Zhè ge jì huà zǎo jiù lòu mǎ jiǎo le.
    This plan was exposed long ago.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

露lùreveal
马脚horse's foot
马mǎhorse脚jiǎofoot
偏正Modifier + head

露 reveal, 马 horse, and 脚 foot: showing a horse's foot exposes what was hidden.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雨雨yǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
路
路lù露lù
Same sound today

露 pairs 雨, a rain-related meaning part, with 路, a sound part.

Open 露 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 馬; 马 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 馬 shows a horse with its head facing left, a flowing mane, and two legs standing vertically.

Open 马 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 腳; 脚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat, body
Sound part声符shēngfú
卻
卻què腳jiǎo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 腳 uses ⺼ for a body part and 卻 for the sound; the simplified 脚 is a later shorthand.

Open 脚 →

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