Fall off a truck Meaning in English

expression

US

ˈfɑɫ/, /ˈfɔɫ/ /ˈɔf/ /ˈeɪ/, /ə/ /ˈtɹək

FAWL-awf-uh-TRUHK

UK

fˈɔːl/ /ˈɒf/ /æɪ/ /tɹˈʌk

FAWL-of-uh-TRUK

Definition

To say something 'fell off a truck' usually means it was possibly stolen or obtained illegally, but it can also mean something literally fell from a truck.

Usage & Nuances

Often used humorously or ironically in informal conversations about suspiciously cheap items. Usually indicates the item might be stolen or acquired through illegal means. The literal sense (actually falling off a truck) is less common.

• Spanish: caer de un camión (literal) - conseguir de dudoso origen (argot)
• Portuguese (BR): cair de um caminhão (literal) - obter de origem duvidosa (gíria)
• Portuguese (PT): cair de um camião (literal) - obter de origem duvidosa (gíria)
• Chinese (Simplified): 掉下卡车（字面意思）- 来路不明获得（俚语）
• Chinese (Traditional): 從卡車上掉下來（字面意思）- 來路不明獲得（俚語）
• Hindi: ट्रक से गिरना (शाब्दिक अर्थ) - संदिग्ध तरीके से प्राप्त (स्लैंग)
• Arabic: سقط من شاحنة (معنى حرفي) - تم الحصول عليه من مصدر مشبوه (عامية)
• Bengali: ট্রাক থেকে পড়ে গেছে (আক্ষরিক অর্থ) - অবৈধভাবে পাওয়া (ইঙ্গিতপূর্ণভাবে)
• Russian: упало с грузовика (буквально и иронически)
• Japanese: トラックから落ちた（直喩・隠喩両方）
• Vietnamese: rơi khỏi xe tải (nghĩa bóng: có nguồn gốc không rõ ràng/khả năng là đồ ăn cắp)
• Korean: 트럭에서 떨어졌다 (직유 및 은유적으로 사용)
• Turkish: kamyondan düştü (hem gerçek hem de deyimsel anlamda)
• Urdu: ٹرک سے گر گیا (اصلی یا غیر قانونی طور پر حاصل شدہ کے لیے)
• Indonesian: rơi khỏi xe tải (nghĩa đen & nghĩa bóng: đồ không rõ nguồn gốc/lậu)

Example Sentences

This phone looks like it fell off a truck.

basic

He said the TV fell off a truck, so it was really cheap.

basic

Sometimes things really do fall off a truck on the highway.

basic

I got this designer bag for half the price—let's just say it fell off a truck.

natural

Don't ask too many questions—some things just fall off a truck now and then.

natural

Where did you get all that new furniture? Oh, you know, it fell off a truck.

natural