Check the water meter

抄水表 (chāo shuǐbiǎo): check the water meter

Top: We’re here to check the water meter! Bottom: He says their water meter is outside.

Instead of shouting commands outside someone‘s home, the police can simply pretend to be from the water utility and coerce the person to open his/her door. Other times, the police may politely invite someone to drink tea.

This may also appear as 查水表 (chá shuǐbiǎo), which has the same meaning.