Definition
掉包 is a colloquial verb meaning 'to secretly swap something with a fake or inferior substitute' — essentially a bait-and-switch trick. It's often used in contexts involving fraud or deceit, such as replacing a genuine item with a counterfeit during a transaction. The word is pronounced diào bāo, with 掉 carrying the sense of 'exchange/replace' rather than 'fall'.
v
to secretly replace (something) with a fake or substituteto pull a switchto trick by substitution
Examples
- 掉包。Piànzi yòng jiǎ huà diào bāo le zhēnpǐn.The scammer replaced the genuine painting with a fake.
- 掉包，。Mǎi shǒujī shí xiǎoxīn bèi diào bāo, yídìng yào jiǎnchá xùliè hào.Be careful of being tricked when buying a phone — always check the serial number.
- 掉包，。Zhè qǐ ànjiàn shèjí huòwù diào bāo, jǐngfāng zhèngzài diàochá.This case involves the switching of goods, and the police are investigating.
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