上钩

上鉤

shànggōu

verb #6,645

Meanings

鱼终于上钩了。

Yú zhōngyú shànggōu le.

The fish finally took the bait.

别上当，他想让你上钩。

Bié shàngdàng, tā xiǎng ràng nǐ shànggōu.

Don't be fooled, he wants you to take the bait.

骗子设了一个圈套，她上钩了。

Piànzi shè le yí gè quāntào, tā shànggōu le.

The scammer set a trap, and she fell for it.

memory

Picture a fish going UP (上) onto a HOOK (钩) — just like someone 'biting' on a trick or scam.

usage

上钩 can be literal (fishing) or figurative (falling for a scheme). The figurative use is more common in everyday speech.

上 shàng

钩 gōu