TongTong
Sign in

投机取巧 (tóu jī qǔ qiǎo) — to be opportunistic; to use devious means to get ahead

Definition

An idiom criticizing someone who takes unfair shortcuts to get ahead instead of doing things properly. Always negative — used to describe dishonest, opportunistic behavior, not clever strategy.

idiom
to be opportunisticto use devious means to get ahead

Examples

  • 投机取巧，。
    Tā zuò shì zǒng xǐ huan tóu jī qǔ qiǎo, bú yuàn yì jiǎo tà shí dì.
    He always likes to be opportunistic when doing things, unwilling to be down-to-earth.
  • ，投机取巧。
    Kǎo shì yào píng zhēn běn shì, bù néng kào tóu jī qǔ qiǎo.
    Exams rely on real ability; you can't rely on opportunism.
  • 投机取巧。
    Gōng sī bù huān yíng nà xiē tóu jī qǔ qiǎo de yuán gōng.
    The company doesn't welcome employees who are opportunistic.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

投机seize opportunity
投tóuthrow into机jīopportunity
动宾Verb + object
取巧use cleverness
取qǔtake巧qiǎocleverness
动宾Verb + object

“投机取巧” pairs “投机” for seizing opportunity with “取巧” for using clever tricks, for opportunistic behavior.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
殳
殳shū投tóu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 扌 shows a hand, and the right part 殳 gives the sound of the character.

Open 投 →

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; wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
几
几jǐ机jī
Same sound today

The left part is 木 (tree; wood), and the right part 几 gives the sound.

Open 机 →

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

取 pairs 又 (hand) with 耳 (ear), showing a hand taking an ear, as in taking the ear of fallen prey.

Open 取 →

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
工工gōng
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo巧qiǎo
Same sound today

巧 is made of 工 and 丂; 工 points to its meaning, and 丂 points to its sound.

Open 巧 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesPersonality & Traits

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.