a umbla cu cioara vopsită
to try to pass off something fake as real (lit. to walk around with a painted crow)
Advanced Phrase
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Pronunciation
/a um.ˈbla ku ˈtʃo.a.ra vop.ˈsi.tə/
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Cultural Note
This wonderfully vivid idiom literally describes someone painting a crow to make it look like a fancier bird. It is used when someone tries to deceive others by dressing up a lie or presenting something worthless as valuable. It showcases the rich, image-driven nature of Romanian folk expressions.
📝 Example Sentences
Nu umbla cu cioara vopsită, știm adevărul.
Don't try to deceive us, we know the truth.
Umblă cu cioara vopsită de mult timp.
He's been trying to pass off fakes for a long time.
Nu mai umbla cu cioara vopsită și recunoaște!
Stop the deception and admit it!