哪壺不開提哪壺

See also: 哪壶不开提哪壶

Chinese

		which (followed by M or Num); how; (final part. preceded by N)	pot; (a measure word)	not; no; (negative prefix)	open; operate (vehicle); start	to carry; to lift; to put forward to carry; to lift; to put forward; (upwards character stroke); lifting (brush stroke in painting); to mention; carry (suspended)	which (followed by M or Num); how; (final part. preceded by N)	pot; (a measure word)
trad. (哪壺不開提哪壺)		哪	壺	不	開	提	哪	壺
simp. (哪壶不开提哪壶)		哪	壶	不	开	提	哪	壶

Etymology

Literally: whichever pot is not boiling, pickup that pot

If a pot of water is not boiling, it does not make any (high-pitched) sound. This means figuratively that the pot of water is defective. If one deliberately picks up such a pot, then it figuratively means that one is deliberately publicizing somebody else's weaknesses or secrets.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): nǎ hú bù kāi tí nǎ hú

  (Zhuyin): ㄋㄚˇ ㄏㄨˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄞ ㄊㄧˊ ㄋㄚˇ ㄏㄨˊ

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese, Beijing)⁺
    • Pinyin: nǎ hú bù kāi tí nǎ hú
    • Zhuyin: ㄋㄚˇ ㄏㄨˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄞ ㄊㄧˊ ㄋㄚˇ ㄏㄨˊ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: naa hwu bu kai tyi naa hwu
    • IPA ^(key): /na̠²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ xu³⁵ pu⁵¹ kʰaɪ̯⁵⁵ tʰi³⁵ na̠²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ xu³⁵/

Idiom

哪壺不開提哪壺

1. to air somebody's dirty laundry
2. to blurt out somebody's weakness
3. to let somebody's skeletons out of the closet

Synonyms

• 那壺不開提那壺