English：
A vividly descriptive Chinese business term: "carrying the pot" means taking the blame for something you didn't do — being the scapegoat. In Chinese offices, someone has to carry the pot when things go wrong, and it's usually the most junior or least connected person.
中文：
一个形象生动的中国商务术语："背锅"意为承担不是自己做的错事的责任——当替罪羊。在中国办公室里，出了问题时总得有人背锅，通常是最年轻或关系最弱的人。
"背锅" (bēi guō, literally "carry the pot/wok") is a vivid Chinese idiom that imagines carrying a heavy iron wok on your back — a burden that's not yours to carry. In business context, it means being made to take responsibility for a failure caused by others. The term is widely used in Chinese offices, internet discussions, and even news reports about corporate scandals.
中文："背锅"是一个生动的中文习语，想象背着一口沉重的铁锅——一个不属于你的负担。在商务语境中，意味着被迫为他人造成的失败承担责任。该术语在中国办公室、互联网讨论甚至关于公司丑闻的新闻报道中被广泛使用。
📌 Example 1
After a project failure:
"The boss is furious about the missed deadline."
"Guess who has to carry the pot this time?"
项目失败后：
"老板对错过截止日期非常生气。"
"猜猜这次谁要背锅？"
📌 Example 2
Office politics:
"I got blamed for the error, but it was the manager's decision."
"Classic carry the pot. Happens all the time here."
办公室政治：
"我被责怪那个错误，但那是经理的决定。"
"经典的背锅。这里经常发生。"
📌 Example 3
Advice to a new employee:
"Be careful in meetings. Don't volunteer for everything."
"You might end up carrying the pot for the whole team."
给新员工的建议：
"会议上小心点。不要什么都主动揽。"
"你可能会替整个团队背锅。"
📌 Example 4
Complaint about a coworker:
"She made the mistake but I got in trouble."
"You're carrying her pot. Talk to your manager."
抱怨同事：
"她犯了错但我挨了批。"
"你在替她背锅。跟你经理谈谈。"
📌 Example 5
Team discussion:
"Who's going to explain this to the client?"
"Not me! I'm not carrying that pot!"
团队讨论：
"谁去跟客户解释？"
"别找我！我不背这个锅！"
📌 Example 6
Caption on a meme:
"Me explaining why the project failed when I wasn't even involved."
"Professional pot carrier since 2020."
梗图配文：
"我向老板解释项目为什么失败，尽管我根本就没参与。"
"专业背锅侠，2020年至今。"
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