骗 (piàn) — to cheat, to deceive, to swindle

骗 is a colloquial verb meaning 'to cheat / trick / swindle,' used for everyday lies and scams (money, feelings). 欺骗 is the more formal equivalent used in writing; 作弊 is restricted to cheating on exams or in competitions.

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 騙; 骗 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 騙 pairs 馬 (horse) with 扁, which gives the sound; it originally meant to mount a horse by swinging a leg across it. The simplified 骗 is a later abbreviation.