龜跤趖出來

	A user has added this entry to requests for deletion⁽⁺⁾.
	Please see that page for discussion and justifications. You may continue to edit this entry while the discussion proceeds, but please mention significant edits at the RFD discussion and ensure that the intention of votes already cast is not left unclear. Do not remove the `{{rfd}}` until the debate has finished.

Chinese

		a turtle or tortoise's leg or foot	to crawl; to creep	a verbal complement indicating a process of completing or accomplishing
trad. (龜跤趖出來)		龜跤	趖	出來
simp. (龟跤趖出来)		龟跤	趖	出来

Pronunciation

Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): ku-kha sô--chhut-lâi

Southern Min
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ku-kha sô--chhut-lâi
  - Tâi-lô: ku-kha sô--tshut-lâi

Idiom

龜跤趖出來

(Hokkien) to give oneself away; to unintentionally reveal hidden information
- 有法有破真利害　當伊沒朝倒拋獅　妖術算是迷目代　即時龜脚趖出來 [Taiwanese Hokkien, trad.]
  有法有破真利害　当伊没朝倒抛狮　妖术算是迷目代　即时龟脚趖出来 [Taiwanese Hokkien, simp.]
  From: 《正派三國歌·第二回·上冊》
  ū hoat ū phòa chin lī-hāi, tng i bē tiâu tò-pha-sai, iau-su̍t sǹg-sī bê-ba̍k tāi, chi̍t-sî ku-kha sô--chhut-lâi [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]
  (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- Taⁿ mài koh 編落去--à，「龜腳趖出來」都 iáu m̄知影，真正加講加漏氣--è，瞞者瞞不識，識者不能瞞，mài 做就無 chit 款嚥氣代？ [Taiwanese Hokkien, trad.]
  Taⁿ mài koh 编落去--à，「龟脚趖出来」都 iáu m̄知影，真正加讲加漏气--è，瞒者瞒不识，识者不能瞒，mài 做就无 chit 款咽气代？ [Taiwanese Hokkien, simp.]
  From: Lahjih. (2007, July 29). 龜腳趖出來 [The Turtle's Feet Emerge]. In 台灣諺語鹹酸甜 [The Sweet and Sour of Taiwanese Proverbs]
  Taⁿ mài koh pian--lo̍h-khì -- à, “ku-kha sô--chhut-lâi” to iáu m̄ chai-iáⁿ, chin-chiàⁿ ke kóng ke làu-khì -- è, môa chiá môa put sek, sek chiá put-lêng môa, mài chò chiū bô chit khoán iàn-khì tāi? [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]
  Come now, stop inventing more excuses — the turtle's feet are already sticking out, yet you seem unaware of how exposed you are, making this situation increasingly embarrassing. While you might fool those who don't know what's really going on, you can't deceive those who do. If you had simply been honest from the start, wouldn't you have avoided all this unnecessary distress?
- Tī2000年台灣大選，李前總統一句「捾籃仔，假燒香」，就互某一個候選人的龜腳、馬腳趖趖出來。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, trad.]
  Tī2000年台湾大选，李前总统一句「捾篮仔，假烧香」，就互某一个候选人的龟脚、马脚趖趖出来。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, simp.]
  From: 陳主顯. (2006, July 31). 鼓不打不響 [The drum won't sound unless struck]. 本土信徒 [Local Believers].
  Tī 2000 nî Tâi-oân tāi-soán, Lí Chêng-chóng-thóng chi̍t kù “kōaⁿ nâ-á, ké sio-hiuⁿ”, chiū hō͘ bó͘ chi̍t ê hāu-soán-jîn ê ku-kha, bé-kha sô sô--chhut-lâi. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]
  During Taiwan's 2000 presidential election, former President Lee's single observation — 'Carrying a basket while pretending to burn incense' — caused a certain candidate's true intentions to emerge like a turtle's feet sticking out from its shell.

Synonyms

(Mandarin) 露馬腳／露马脚 (lòumǎjiǎo)

References

“龜跤趖出來”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.