甩锅 — Passing the Buck / Blame Shifting
What Does 甩锅 Mean?
Literally 'throwing the pot' — when someone tosses blame for a mistake onto others like throwing a hot pan away. Essential vocabulary for understanding Chinese workplace and political discourse. Politicians 甩锅 to local officials; bosses 甩锅 to employees; partners 甩锅 to each other. The visual of literally throwing a cooking pot is both vivid and perfect.
Cultural Context
The term became particularly resonant in hierarchical Chinese organizational cultures where accountability is often negotiated rather than fixed. In workplaces with strong face-saving norms, 甩锅 happens constantly — admitting fault damages face, so blame flows downward. The term gave people language to name what they were experiencing.
Similar Expressions in English
Like 'passing the buck,' 'throwing someone under the bus,' or 'scapegoating.' The cooking pot metaphor is more visceral than English equivalents — you're not just deflecting blame, you're actively hurling it away from yourself.
How Is It Used?
Chinese Explanation (中文解释)
将责任、错误推卸给他人，字面意思是把锅甩给别人，引申为推卸责任。