Definition
烟幕弹 literally means 'smoke shell/bomb' — a military device that releases smoke to obscure vision. But in everyday Chinese, it's far more common as a metaphor for something that distracts or misleads, like a 'smoke screen' or a cover-up. When you hear someone say '放烟幕弹', they mean someone is spreading false information to hide the truth.
n.
smoke shellsmoke bomb (military)(figurative) smoke screendiversionsomething used to conceal the truth
Examples
- 烟幕弹，。Dírén fāshè le yān mù dàn, yǎnhù bùduì chètuì.The enemy fired smoke shells to cover the troops' retreat.
- 烟幕弹，。Tā shuō de nàxiē huà dōu shì yān mù dàn, bié xiāngxìn tā.Everything he said is just a smoke screen — don't believe him.
- 烟幕弹。Zhège xīnwén míngxiǎn shì zhèngkè fàng de yān mù dàn.This news is clearly a smoke screen released by politicians.
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