tiền trảm hậu tấu
Vietnamese
Etymology
Sino-Vietnamese word from 前斬後奏. Compare Chinese 先斬後奏 (tiên trảm hậu tấu).
Pronunciation
- (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [tiən˨˩ t͡ɕaːm˧˩ həw˧˨ʔ təw˧˦]
- (Huế) IPA(key): [tiəŋ˦˩ ʈaːm˧˨ həw˨˩ʔ təw˨˩˦]
- (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA(key): [tiəŋ˨˩ ʈaːm˨˩˦ həw˨˩˨ təw˦˥]
Verb
tiền trảm hậu tấu
- (literally) to chop heads first and report later to the authority
- (figuratively) to proceed first and ask or report to the responsible party later
- Nó không có ở đây, thôi thì ta cứ tiền trảm hậu tấu.
- She's not here, we might as well just do it and tell her later.