私盐包

私鹽包
sīyánbāo
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 a dangerous or incriminating object best not handled
  2. 2 a hot potato, something unsafe to possess

Examples

Zhè fèn hétong yǒu wèntí, jiǎnzhí shì ge sīyánbāo, shéi pèng shéi dǎoméi.
This contract is shady — a real hot potato; whoever touches it gets burned.
Bié bǎ nàxiē wénjiàn dài huí jiā, nà kě shì sīyánbāo.
Don't take those documents home — they're a liability waiting to explode.

Tips

history
In imperial China the salt trade was a state monopoly; carrying (smuggled salt) was a serious offense. A 私盐包 was thus a package no one wanted to be caught with — hence the modern metaphor for any incriminating bundle.

Stroke Order

yán
bāo