How do you use "Sly as a fox" in a sentence?

He's sly as a fox, that one. Don't trust him—he's sly as a fox. She got away with it, sly as a fox.

Sly as a fox

Q: What does "Sly as a fox" mean?

Very cunning and clever; craftily intelligent. Being 'sly as a fox' means being cunningly intelligent—clever in a sneaky way. Foxes' reputation for outsmarting hunters made them symbols of cunning.

Slang Term BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★☆ Common Casual

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Meaning: Very cunning and clever; craftily intelligent.

非常狡猾聪明；精明地有智慧。

Muy astuto e inteligente; hábilmente sagaz.

非常にずる賢く巧妙。狡猾に頭がいい。

매우 교활하고 영리한; 약삭빠르게 똑똑한.

Being 'sly as a fox' means being cunningly intelligent—clever in a sneaky way. Foxes' reputation for outsmarting hunters made them symbols of cunning.

'sly as a fox（像狐狸一样狡猾）'意味着狡猾地聪明——以偷偷摸摸的方式精明。狐狸因能骗过猎人而成为狡猾的象征。

Ser 'sly as a fox' (astuto como un zorro) significa ser inteligente de manera taimada. La reputación de los zorros por burlar a los cazadores los convirtió en símbolo de la astucia.

「sly as a fox（狐のようにずる賢い）」は、こそこそした方法で頭が良いこと。猟師を出し抜くことで有名な狐は狡猾さの象徴になりました。

'sly as a fox'는 교활하게 영리하다는 뜻이다—은밀한 방식으로 똑똑한 것. 사냥꾼을 따돌리는 여우의 명성이 교활함의 상징이 되었다.

Examples

He's sly as a fox, that one.
那个人狡猾得像只狐狸。
Ese es astuto como un zorro.
あいつは狐のようにずる賢い。
그 녀석은 여우처럼 교활하다.
Don't trust him—he's sly as a fox.
别信他——他像狐狸一样狡猾。
No te fíes de él, es astuto como un zorro.
あいつを信用するな——狐のように狡猾だ。
그를 믿지 마—여우처럼 교활하니까.
She got away with it, sly as a fox.
她像狐狸一样狡猾地逃脱了。
Se salió con la suya, astuta como un zorro.
彼女は狐のようにうまくやり遂げた。
그녀는 여우처럼 교묘하게 빠져나갔다.

Pronunciation

/slaɪ æz ə fɒks/

Usage Guide

Context: cunning, cleverness, deception

Tone: admiring or suspicious

✓ Do Say

Sly as a fox
像狐狸一样狡猾
astuto como un zorro
狐のようにずる賢い
여우처럼 교활하다
Cunning as a fox
像狐狸一样精明
taimado como un zorro
狐のように狡猾
여우같이 약삭빠르다
Foxy
狡猾的
astuto
ずる賢い
교활한

Common Mistakes

Can be admiring or warning

Origin & History

Foxes have been symbols of cunning in folklore worldwide. Their ability to evade hunters and steal from farms established their reputation for cleverness.

Etymology: Foxes' reputation for cunning and evasion

First recorded: Historical folklore

Cultural Context

Era: Historical folklore

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Aesop's Fables; Folklore

Regional notes: Universal expression.

Variations

Sly as a foxCunning as a foxFoxy