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占便宜 (zhàn pián yi) — to take advantage of (sb/sth) for personal gain (often pejorative); to be in an advantageous position (neutral or positive)

Definition

A verb-object phrase meaning to gain unfair advantage, often at others' expense (negative). The neutral sense — 'be in a favorable position' (e.g. in a match) — is less common.

verb
to take advantage of (sb/sth) for personal gain (often pejorative)to be in an advantageous position (neutral or positive)

Examples

  • 。
    Tā zǒng xiǎng zhàn bié rén de pián yi.
    He always wants to take advantage of others.
  • 占便宜。
    Zhè cì bǐ sài wǒ men zhàn pián yi le.
    We were in an advantageous position in this competition.
  • 。
    Tā zhàn le gōng sī hěn duō pián yi.
    He took a lot of advantage from the company.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

占zhàntake
便宜advantage
便biànconvenient宜yísuitable
联合Coordinate

占 expresses taking, and 便宜 expresses advantage, giving the idea of taking benefit.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 佔; 占 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn佔zhàn
Same sound today

The traditional form 佔 has a person part 亻 and a sound part 占; the simplified 占 is a later abbreviation.

Open 占 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

便 pairs 亻 (person) with 更 (to change), showing a person changing posture to become comfortable.

Open 便 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

宜 shows 且, a sacrificial altar, with 多, two pieces of meat, depicting two pieces of meat placed on the altar.

Open 宜 →
Appears in
Shopping & Errands

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