金蟬脫殼

- a cicada casting off its skin -- to do a quick change; a cicada leaving behind its cast-off part in molting; a cicada sloughing off its skin -- an escape by strategy; a disappearance act from an entangled situation; a scheme to get away; escape by cunning maneuvering; escape like a cicada casting off its skin; escape secretly; give the slip; make good one's escape (in ensuing confusion); slip away by casting off one's cloak; slip away in the ensuing chaos; slip out of a predicament like a cicada sloughing its skin; stratagem for slinking off