Definition
三百两 is a chengyu-like abbreviation of the phrase 此地无银三百两 (cǐ dì wú yín sān bǎi liǎng), which literally means 'no silver 300 taels buried here' — a folk tale about a man who buried silver and put up a sign denying it, accidentally revealing the location. The phrase is used to describe a clumsy cover-up that actually gives away the secret; it's an ironic way to say 'the lady doth protest too much.' As a standalone, 三百两 often appears in the pattern 此地无银三百两 to mean 'a transparent denial that confirms the accusation.'
idiom
a clumsy denial that reveals the truthprotesting too much
Examples
- ，三百两。Tā yuè jiěshì yuè kěyí, jiǎnzhí shì cǐ dì wú yín sān bǎi.The more he explained, the more suspicious he seemed — it was a classic case of protesting too much.
- ，三百两。Tā shuō bù xǐhuan nà jiàn lǐwù, dàn dàjiā dōu kàn chū shì sān bǎi.She said she didn't like that gift, but everyone could see it was a transparent denial.
- ，三百两。Lǎobǎn shuō gōngsī méi cáiyuán jìhuà, yuángōng dōu xiào zhè shì sān bǎi.The boss said the company had no layoff plans, and the employees all laughed at this clumsy cover-up.
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