Meaning
To be cautious and not fall into a trick or dangerous situation.
Cultural Background
The concept of 'Ziraki' (cleverness) is a major social currency. Being 'Sade-lowh' (naive) is often seen as a social weakness, making this idiom very popular. Classical poets like Hafez and Rumi often use the 'trap and bait' (dām o dāne) metaphor to describe the world's distractions. With the rise of internet scams in Iran, this idiom has seen a resurgence in cybersecurity awareness campaigns. Sometimes, excessive Ta'arof can be a 'trap' to get someone to agree to something they don't want. Knowing when to stop is 'not giving the tail to the trap.'
Use it for praise
If someone avoids a scam, saying 'دمت گرم که دم به تله ندادی' is a very natural and friendly compliment.
Don't use for accidents
If you trip on the street, don't use this. It's only for intentional tricks or traps.
Meaning
To be cautious and not fall into a trick or dangerous situation.
Use it for praise
If someone avoids a scam, saying 'دمت گرم که دم به تله ندادی' is a very natural and friendly compliment.
Don't use for accidents
If you trip on the street, don't use this. It's only for intentional tricks or traps.
The 'Tail' nuance
The use of 'tail' implies that even a small mistake could have been fatal, making your escape even more impressive.
Ziraki
This idiom is the perfect way to demonstrate your understanding of 'Ziraki' (Persian cleverness).
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing word to complete the idiom.
او خیلی باهوش است و هیچوقت دم به ______ نمیدهد.
The idiom is 'دم به تله ندادن' (not giving the tail to the trap).
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly to mean 'I didn't get scammed'?
کدام جمله درست است؟
The negative form 'ندادم' means you avoided the trap/scam.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of the idiom.
علی: 'اونا میخواستن منو گول بزنن.' سارا: 'خوشحالم که ______.'
Sara is happy that Ali *didn't* fall for the trick.
Match the situation to the idiom's meaning.
در کدام موقعیت از این اصطلاح استفاده میکنیم؟
The idiom is specifically about avoiding deception or traps.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Positive vs. Negative
Practice Bank
4 exercisesاو خیلی باهوش است و هیچوقت دم به ______ نمیدهد.
The idiom is 'دم به تله ندادن' (not giving the tail to the trap).
کدام جمله درست است؟
The negative form 'ندادم' means you avoided the trap/scam.
علی: 'اونا میخواستن منو گول بزنن.' سارا: 'خوشحالم که ______.'
Sara is happy that Ali *didn't* fall for the trick.
در کدام موقعیت از این اصطلاح استفاده میکنیم؟
The idiom is specifically about avoiding deception or traps.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, it's not rude. It's a common figurative expression used in daily life.
It's a bit informal. Better to say 'I am very cautious' (من خیلی محتاط هستم).
'Tala' (تله) means a physical trap used for catching animals.
No, the idiom is fixed. You don't say 'tails to the traps.'
Yes! If a player avoids a defensive trap, you can use it.
You say 'دم به تله دادم' (I gave my tail to the trap).
It's used by everyone, but older people might use it with more 'fable' context.
Yes, a 'trap' is always something you want to avoid.
Only if you think the surprise party is a 'trap' you want to avoid!
Using 'dar' instead of 'be' (دم در تله).
Related Phrases
گول خوردن
synonymTo be tricked
در دام افتادن
similarTo fall into a snare
حواسجمع بودن
builds onTo be alert
بز بیاری
contrastTo have bad luck
رندی کردن
specialized formTo act with cleverness
