# 漏网之鱼

lòu wǎng zhī yú

Someone or something that escapes detection or capture

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** A fish that slips through the net

**Traditional Chinese:** 漏網之魚

**Register:** Standard · expressive

[Choices & judgment](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/decisions)

## When to use it

Describe an overlooked offender, error, or item.

An escape does not establish guilt without evidence.

## Understanding the expression

A fishing net catches much but may leave gaps large enough for a fish to pass through. The expression applies that escape to a search, inspection, or enforcement effort. It can describe an offender not caught or an error missed during review. The image highlights incomplete coverage rather than proving intentional concealment. A useful response looks for the gap in the process, so the next search can be more effective without assuming every missed item is malicious.

## Examples

检查后仍有几处漏网之鱼。

### Traditional Chinese

檢查後仍有幾處漏網之魚。

jiǎn chá hòu réng yǒu jǐ chù lòu wǎng zhī yú 。

A few errors still slipped through the inspection.

警方继续追查漏网之鱼。

### Traditional Chinese

警方繼續追查漏網之魚。

jǐng fāng jì xù zhuī chá lòu wǎng zhī yú 。

The police continued searching for offenders who had escaped capture.

这封垃圾邮件成了漏网之鱼。

### Traditional Chinese

這封垃圾郵件成了漏網之魚。

zhè fēng lā jī yóu jiàn chéng le lòu wǎng zhī yú 。

This spam message slipped through the filter.

她复查名单，找出漏网之鱼。

### Traditional Chinese

她複查名單，找出漏網之魚。

tā fù chá míng dān ， zhǎo chū lòu wǎng zhī yú 。

She reviewed the list again and found the overlooked entries.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E6%BC%8F%E7%B6%B2%E4%B9%8B%E9%AD%9A)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=1022&webMd=1&la=0)

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