捡便宜 (jiǎn pián yi) — to get a bargain, to score a good deal; to take advantage of a situation (often for unearned benefit)

Definition

捡便宜 literally 'pick up cheapness' — getting something for less than it's worth, often without effort. Usually carries a slight negative tone: profiting unfairly or scheming, not just a good deal.

verb
to get a bargainto score a good dealto take advantage of a situation (often for unearned benefit)

Examples

  • ，，捡便宜。
    Zhè jiàn yī fu yuán jià yì qiān, xiàn zài zhǐ yào liǎng bǎi, zhēn shì jiǎn pián yi le.
    This piece of clothing was originally a thousand yuan, now only two hundred — what a bargain.
  • ，。
    Tā shén me yě méi zuò, jiù jiǎn le ge dà pián yi.
    He didn't do anything and just got a big unearned advantage.
  • 捡便宜，。
    Bié zǒng xiǎng zhe jiǎn pián yi, tā shi gōng zuò cái shì zhèng dào.
    Don't always think about getting something for nothing; steady work is the right path.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

捡jiǎnpick up
便宜bargain
便biànconvenient宜yísuitable
联合Side by side

捡 (pick up) and 便宜 (bargain) combine to mean take advantage of a bargain.

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 撿; 捡 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān撿jiǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 撿 pairs 手 (hand) with 僉, which gives the sound; the simplified 捡 is a later abbreviation.

Open 捡 →

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 →

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