甩锅

• Pinyin: shuǎi guō
• Hanzi breakdown: 甩 (throw away) + 锅 (blame pot) -> throw blame elsewhere.

Meaning

To shift blame onto someone or something else.

It criticizes people who avoid responsibility after a problem. It pairs naturally with 背锅: one person 甩锅, another 背锅.

Examples

1. 需求没确认清楚，别甩锅给设计。 The requirements weren't clarified properly, so don't pin it on design.
2. 他一出问题就甩锅。 Whenever something goes wrong, he shifts the blame.
3. 复盘是找原因，不是互相甩锅。 A post-mortem is for finding the cause, not for passing the buck to each other.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, group chats, social media

Tone: critical, annoyed

Do Say

• 别人推卸责任时说别甩锅。（Use it against blame-shifting.）

Don't Say

• 把合理分工说明都叫甩锅。（Not every clarification is blame-shifting.）

Common Mistakes

• Mixing it up with 背锅; they are opposite sides of blame.

Origin & History

From 锅 as blame and 甩 as throw off or fling away.

Cultural Context

Era: 2010s-2020s

Generation: Gen Z, Millennials, and mainstream internet users

Social background: Urban students, workers, and online communities

Regional notes: Common in project reviews, comment wars, and team conflict talk.