| 认贼作父 |
rèn zéi zuò fù |
lit. to acknowledge the bandit as one's father (idiom); fig. a complete betrayal / to sell oneself to the enemy |
| 认 |
rèn |
to recognize / to know / to admit |
| 贼 |
zéi |
thief; robber / (bound form) traitor; subversive / (bound form) evil; wicked / sly; shifty; devious / (literary) to harm; to injure / (coll.) extremely; insanely; damn (common in NE China and Taiwan) |
| 作 |
zuō |
(bound form) worker / (bound form) workshop / (slang) troublesome; high-maintenance (person) |
| 作 |
zuò |
to do; to engage in / to write; to compose / to pretend; to feign / to regard as; to consider to be / to be; to act the part of / to feel (itchy, nauseous etc) / writings; works |
| 父 |
fù |
father |