‘Shuǎi guō’ literally means ‘to throw a wok,’ but figuratively it refers to the act of passing blame or responsibility onto someone else—essentially ‘passing the buck.’ The character 甩 (shuǎi) means ‘to fling’ or ‘to discard,’ while 锅 (guō) is a cooking wok, used here metaphorically as a ‘blame vessel’—a humorous, vivid image of tossing an unwanted burden. This slang originated in internet culture and has since entered everyday spoken and informal written Chinese.

It’s commonly used in workplaces, schools, or online discussions when people evade accountability for mistakes—especially when the shift feels unfair or transparent. Though playful in tone, it carries a mildly negative connotation, implying dishonesty or lack of integrity. It’s rarely used in formal reports or official documents, but appears frequently in social media commentary, memes, and casual conversations among young adults.