The word 上当 (shàngdàng), meaning "to be fooled" or "to be taken in", is formed through a vivid historical metaphor originating from the operations of pawnshops, where 当 (dàng) means "to pawn". The term literally means "to go up to the pawn counter". It stems from an anecdote about a pawnshop chain owned by a family surnamed 当 (Dàng); a notoriously incompetent manager would accept grossly overvalued items, so when customers heard a pawned item was going 上 Dàng 的当 (shàng Dàng de dàng), "to the Dàng family's pawn counter", they knew it was a bad deal where the owner would be swindled. Thus, the phrase 上当 evolved from this specific context to the general meaning of walking into a deception or falling for a trick.