vừa đánh trống vừa ăn cướp

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

to beat the drum (as in, sound the burglar alarm) while burglarizing

Connotation: offensive or derogatory to many

Where it’s used: Used Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Sources & notes

Imported from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); community review pending. source ↗

Sense 2

Meaning · English

to accuse others of wrongdoing as the wrongdoer to escape guilt and responsibility by diverting attention

Connotation: offensive or derogatory to many

Common questions

What does “vừa đánh trống vừa ăn cướp” mean?

to beat the drum (as in, sound the burglar alarm) while burglarizing

Is “vừa đánh trống vừa ăn cướp” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.