Apanado

Apanado is a term found in Portuguese, functioning as the past participle of the verb apanhar. Its meaning and use vary by region and context, making it a heterogeneous, polysemous expression in many Lusophone varieties.

The most common sense of apanado is as a descriptor for someone or something that has been caught or seized. In this sense, it can refer to a person who has been physically captured, as in a crime or arrest, or to something that has been caught or picked up, such as fish or another object. For example, in everyday speech one might encounter a sentence like “Foi apanhado pela polícia” (He was caught by the police) or “ ficou apanhado na mentira” (he was caught in the lie).

A widespread colloquial use of apanado is to indicate that someone has been deceived or tricked. In this sense, “apanado” means taken in by a scam or by a ruse. Phrases such as “foi apanhado pelo golpe” convey that someone fell for a scheme or was duped.

Regional notes and related terms: in European and Brazilian Portuguese, apanhar also covers general notions of catching, grabbing, or collecting, which can extend to everyday actions such as catching a bus or collecting items. In culinary contexts, some dialects use similar terms to denote breaded preparations, though the standard term for breaded foods is usually panado or empanado, and apanado is less common in this sense; regional dictionaries should be consulted for precise usage.

Etymology traces to the verb apanhar, meaning to catch, seize, or pick up.