敲竹杠 (qiāo zhú gàng) — to overcharge; to fleece; to take advantage of someone's situation to demand an unreasonable price or payment

Definition

A colloquial verb meaning to overcharge or fleece someone by exploiting their situation. Pairs with 让/被 to mark the victim (别让人敲竹杠).

verb
to overchargeto fleeceto take advantage of someone's situation to demand an unreasonable price or payment

Examples

  • ，敲竹杠。
    Nà jiā diàn zhuān kēng yóu kè, měi cì dōu zài qiāo zhú gàng.
    That shop specifically rips off tourists — they always overcharge.
  • ，。
    Tā kàn zhǔn wǒ méi bié de xuǎn zé, hěn hěn qiāo le wǒ yì bǐ zhú gàng.
    Seeing I had no other choice, he really fleeced me.
  • 敲竹杠，。
    Bié ràng rén suí biàn qiāo zhú gàng, mǎi dōng xī qián xiān chá chá jià gé.
    Don't let people overcharge you casually — check the price before you buy.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攴攴pūto hit lightly; to tap
Sound part声符shēngfú
高
高gāo敲qiāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

敲 combines 高, which supplies the sound, with 攴, meaning to hit lightly or tap.

Open 敲 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

竹 pictures two bamboo stalks with leaves.

Open 竹 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng杠gàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

杠 has 木 (tree) on the left and 工 on the right. The 木 part is about wood, and 工 gives the sound.

Open 杠 →

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