美人计 (měi rén jì) — a beauty trap; a stratagem using seduction or romantic appeal to ensnare or manipulate someone

Definition

A historical/strategic term for a 'honey trap' — using seduction to manipulate or extract secrets. From classical Chinese military strategy (三十六计), so it sounds literary and strategic, not casual.

noun
a beauty trapa stratagem using seduction or romantic appeal to ensnare or manipulate someone
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 美人计。
    Gǔ dài bīng shū lǐ jì zǎi le měi rén jì de yòng fǎ.
    Ancient military books record the use of the beauty trap.
  • 美人计，。
    Tā zhōng le duì fāng de měi rén jì, xiè lòu le gōng sī jī mì.
    He fell for the other side's beauty trap and leaked company secrets.
  • 美人计。
    Sūn zǐ bīng fǎ lǐ de měi rén jì zhì jīn réng yǒu cān kǎo jià zhí.
    The beauty trap in The Art of War still has reference value today.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

美人beautiful person
美měibeautiful人rénperson
偏正Modifier + head
计jìstratagem

A stratagem (计) that uses a beautiful person (美人) to seduce and entrap someone.

Characters in this word

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

美 shows 大, a person, wearing 羊, a headdress of feathers or ram's horn.

Open 美 →

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

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Open 人 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 計; 计 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 計 pairs 言 (say) with 十 (all). The simplified 计 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical shape.

Open 计 →

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