上当

• Pinyin: shàng dàng
• Hanzi breakdown: 上 = up, on; 当 = originally pawn shop — to be cheated

Meaning

To be fooled; to be cheated; to fall for a trick. Being deceived into doing or believing something.

A colloquial expression indicating one has been deceived, usually in the context of scams, tricks, or false promises. Often followed by 受骗 for emphasis (上当受骗). Can range from minor deceptions to serious fraud. The term carries a sense of the victim being naive or careless.

Examples

1. 别轻易相信陌生人的话，小心上当。 Don't easily believe what strangers say — be careful not to get fooled.
2. 他上当买了一部假冒手机。 He got tricked into buying a counterfeit phone.
3. 我上过一次当，以后再也不会轻信这种广告了。 I fell for it once and will never trust such advertisements again.

Usage Guide

Context: warning, scams, everyday

Tone: cautionary

Do Say

• 别上当！(Don't fall for it!)
• 我差点上当了。(I almost got fooled.)

Don't Say

• 不要说'他上当了我' (Don't say 他上当了我 — 上当 is what happens to the victim, not what the deceiver does; say 他骗了我)

Origin & History

Literally means to 'go to the pawn shop' (当铺), where dishonest pawnbrokers would undervalue items. Over time, evolved to mean being cheated or deceived.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal