半天云中跑马，露了马脚半天雲中跑馬，露了馬腳半天雲中跑馬，露了馬腳

a horse galloping in the clouds: the horse's hoof shows

Saying俗语俗語

Two-part saying歇后语歇後語 · Rarely used now

Meaning: Said when a secret or deception is given away by a slip. Close to 'let the cat out of the bag'.
Wordplay: 露马脚 (lòu mǎjiǎo) is literally 'show the horse's feet' and figuratively 'give oneself away'.

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Simplified: 半天云中跑马，露了马脚
Traditional (Taiwan): 半天雲中跑馬，露了馬腳
Pinyin: bàntiān Yúnzhōng pǎomǎ, lòule mǎjiǎo
Pinyin (Taiwan): bàntiān Yúnzhōng pǎomǎ, lùle mǎjiǎo
Bopomofo: ㄅㄢˋ ㄊㄧㄢㄩㄣˊ ㄓㄨㄥㄆㄠˇ ㄇㄚˇ，ㄌㄨˋ ˙ㄌㄜㄇㄚˇ ㄐㄧㄠˇ

Written with HSK 6 vocabulary, at CEFR level B2.

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