steal a fowl or a dog(tōu jī dào gǒu)

steal a fowl or a dog

Stealing chicken and stealing dog, a Chinese idiom, Pinyin is t à UJ à D à og à U. It means the act of stealing. It also refers to improper business. It's the same as "sneaking around". From the water margin by Shi Naian of Ming Dynasty.

Idiom usage

It's no better than before in Mrs. Wang's teahouse, just a happy time. The sixth chapter of Jin Ping Mei CI Hua

The origin of Idioms

Ming Shi Naian "outlaws of the marsh" chapter 46: "villain now here, only do some stealing activities, when it is."

Idioms and allusions

Ximen Qing's mother-in-law seduces Pan Jinlian. Brother Yun sees it through. Wu Dalang himself catches the traitor and is kicked down by Ximen Qing. Wang Po instructed Pan Jinlian to use arsenic to kill Wu Dalang, and burned the body. There is no need to cheat like stealing chickens and dogs, so they live together openly and are killed by Wu Song.

Analysis of Idioms

Synonym: Sneak chicken and sneak dog antonym: open and aboveboard

Chinese PinYin : tōu jī dào gǒu