qīfu: 欺负 - To Bully, To Mistreat

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• Summary: Discover the meaning of 欺负 (qīfu), the essential Chinese word for “to bully” or “mistreat.” This page breaks down the term, explaining how it's used in contexts from the schoolyard to the workplace. Learn how 欺负 (qīfu) is different from simple “teasing,” and understand its deep connection to Chinese cultural concepts like social hierarchy and “face.” Whether you're dealing with a difficult boss or just joking with friends, this guide will help you understand when and how to use this powerful word.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): qīfu (qī fù)
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To bully, mistreat, or take unfair advantage of someone.
• In a Nutshell: 欺负 (qīfu) is the go-to word for any situation where someone with more power (be it physical, social, or hierarchical) uses that advantage to put someone else down or make them feel wronged. It's not limited to the physical violence we might associate with the English word “bully.” It can be verbal, psychological, or simply an unfair imposition. The key element is the power imbalance and the resulting feeling of being aggrieved.

• 欺 (qī): This character means “to deceive” or “to cheat.” It's composed of 其 (qí), a phonetic component, and 欠 (qiàn), which is related to lacking or owing and often appears in characters involving breath or the mouth, suggesting an action. Think of it as the act of deceiving someone.
• 负 (fù): This character originally depicted a person carrying a burden. It means “to bear a burden,” “to carry,” or “to suffer a loss.”
• Combined Meaning: The characters literally combine to mean “to deceive someone into bearing a burden” or “to cheat someone and make them suffer a loss.” This beautifully captures the essence of 欺负 (qīfu): it's an unfair action where one person's gain or power trip results in another person's loss or suffering.

In Chinese culture, 欺负 (qīfu) carries a weight that goes beyond the Western concept of “bullying.” While it certainly covers schoolyard fights, its meaning is deeply intertwined with social hierarchy and the preservation of harmony and “face” (面子, miànzi). In the West, “bullying” often implies a repeated pattern of harassment. 欺负 (qīfu), however, can refer to a single act of unfairness. A manager who publicly criticizes a subordinate for a minor mistake, leveraging their authority, is said to be 欺负-ing them. This isn't just “being a tough boss”; it's seen as an abuse of one's position that disrupts the expected social order and causes the subordinate to lose face. The accusation “你欺负人! (Nǐ qīfu rén!)” - “You're bullying people!” - is a potent one. It's not just a complaint about being treated badly; it's an appeal to social justice, implying the perpetrator is violating the unspoken rules of conduct by punching down. This is why the term can also be used playfully between equals—it mockingly invokes this serious idea of injustice in a lighthearted context.

欺负 (qīfu) is a versatile word used in many everyday situations. The connotation shifts dramatically based on context and tone.

• Childhood and School: This is the most direct parallel to English “bullying.” Parents will tell their children not to 欺负 others.
• Workplace: This is a very common context. It describes a superior using their power unfairly, such as assigning impossible tasks, taking credit for work, or singling someone out for public criticism.
• Relationships (Serious): It can describe emotional or psychological mistreatment in a romantic relationship or friendship.
• Relationships (Playful): Between friends, couples, or family, 欺负 can mean “to tease.” Saying “你又欺负我 (nǐ yòu qīfu wǒ)” can be a flirtatious or friendly complaint, meaning “You're teasing me again.” The key is that there is no real malice or power imbalance.
• Business and Services: A customer might feel 欺负'd by a shop that overcharges them or provides bad service, implying the business is using its position to take advantage of the customer.

• Example 1:
  • 大孩子们不应该欺负小同学。
  • Pinyin: Dà háizi men bù yīnggāi qīfu xiǎo tóngxué.
  • English: The older kids shouldn't bully the younger students.
  • Analysis: This is the most classic and literal use of the word, referring to schoolyard bullying.
• Example 2:
  • 你是不是觉得我好欺负？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shì bu shì juéde wǒ hǎo qīfu?
  • English: Do you think I'm an easy target? (Literally: Do you think I'm easy to bully?)
  • Analysis: A common way to stand up for oneself. “好 (hǎo)” here means “easy to,” so “好欺负” describes a person who is a pushover or easy to take advantage of.
• Example 3:
  • 老板总是把最难的工作交给他，这简直是在欺负他。
  • Pinyin: Lǎobǎn zǒngshì bǎ zuì nán de gōngzuò jiāo gěi tā, zhè jiǎnzhí shì zài qīfu tā.
  • English: The boss always gives him the hardest tasks; this is simply mistreating him.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of workplace 欺负 (qīfu), where the issue is an abuse of authority, not physical intimidation.
• Example 4:
  • （女朋友对男朋友说）你又欺负我！不理你了！
  • Pinyin: (Nǚpéngyou duì nánpéngyou shuō) Nǐ yòu qīfu wǒ! Bù lǐ nǐ le!
  • English: (A girlfriend says to her boyfriend) You're teasing me again! I'm not talking to you anymore!
  • Analysis: This shows the playful, lighthearted use of the word. The tone would be pouting but not genuinely angry. It's a form of flirting.
• Example 5:
  • 别欺负老实人。
  • Pinyin: Bié qīfu lǎoshi rén.
  • English: Don't take advantage of honest/simple people.
  • Analysis: “老实人 (lǎoshi rén)” refers to someone who is honest, earnest, and perhaps a bit naive. This sentence is a moral appeal, suggesting that bullying such a person is particularly wrong.
• Example 6:
  • 我小时候经常被邻居家的孩子欺负。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎoshíhou jīngcháng bèi línjū jiā de háizi qīfu.
  • English: When I was little, I was often bullied by the neighbor's kid.
  • Analysis: This uses the passive voice structure “被 (bèi)” to emphasize the speaker as the recipient of the bullying.
• Example 7:
  • 作为大国，不应该欺负小国。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi dàguó, bù yīnggāi qīfu xiǎoguó.
  • English: As a major power, it shouldn't bully smaller countries.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates how 欺负 (qīfu) can be used in a geopolitical context to describe international relations.
• Example 8:
  • 这家黑店专欺负外地游客。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā hēidiàn zhuān qīfu wàidì yóukè.
  • English: This crooked shop specifically preys on out-of-town tourists.
  • Analysis: “黑店 (hēidiàn)” means a shop that rips people off. Here, 欺负 (qīfu) means “to take advantage of” or “to rip off,” because the tourists are in a disadvantaged (unfamiliar) position.
• Example 9:
  • 他这个人就是喜欢欺负新来的同事。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhège rén jiùshì xǐhuān qīfu xīn lái de tóngshì.
  • English: He's the type of person who just loves to pick on new colleagues.
  • Analysis: Describes a person's character trait or a habitual action. The target is the “new colleague,” who is in a weaker position in the office social structure.
• Example 10:
  • 别看他平时很安静，要是有人欺负他弟弟，他会第一个站出来。
  • Pinyin: Bié kàn tā píngshí hěn ānjìng, yàoshi yǒurén qīfu tā dìdi, tā huì dì-yī gè zhàn chūlái.
  • English: Don't be fooled by how quiet he usually is; if anyone bullies his younger brother, he'll be the first to stand up.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the protective instinct that 欺负 (qīfu) can provoke in others. It reinforces the idea that it is an unjust action.

• `欺负 (qīfu)` vs. `开玩笑 (kāi wánxiào)` - To Joke: The line between playful 欺负 and a joke can be thin. A 玩笑 (wánxiào) is a joke that both parties enjoy. It becomes 欺负 (qīfu) the moment the target feels genuinely wronged, hurt, or disrespected. The intention of the speaker is less important than the feeling of the listener.
• It's Not Just for a “Bully”: In English, we call someone a “bully” (a noun). In Chinese, 欺负 (qīfu) is almost always used as a verb. While you can describe someone as “爱欺负人 (ài qīfu rén)” (likes to bully people), you wouldn't typically call them “一个欺负 (yí ge qīfu).”
• Power Dynamic is Key: 欺负 (qīfu) implies an unfair advantage. Two equals having a fierce argument is not 欺负 (qīfu). It is a conflict or disagreement (冲突, chōngtū or 吵架, chǎojià). If one person starts using their authority (e.g., “I'm the boss, so you'll do as I say!”) to win the argument, it crosses the line into 欺负 (qīfu).
• False Friend Alert: While “bully” is a good starting point, remember 欺负 (qīfu) is broader. It can mean a single act of “mistreatment” or “taking unfair advantage of,” which might not be strong enough to be called “bullying” in English.

• 霸凌 (bàlíng) - A modern, formal loanword from the English “bullying.” It is often used in news, academic, or legal contexts to refer to severe, systematic bullying (like school bullying as a social phenomenon).
• 欺骗 (qīpiàn) - To deceive, to cheat. This focuses only on the “deception” aspect of the character 欺 and lacks the “oppression” or “mistreatment” aspect of 欺负.
• 欺压 (qīyā) - To oppress, to tyrannize. This is much stronger than 欺负 and implies a more severe, often systemic, form of oppression.
• 侮辱 (wǔrǔ) - To insult, to humiliate. This is specifically about verbal attacks aimed at damaging a person's dignity and honor.
• 占便宜 (zhàn piányi) - To take advantage of a situation for a small gain. This is much lighter than 欺负 and often refers to petty, opportunistic actions, not necessarily malicious ones.
• 委屈 (wěiqu) - The feeling of being wronged or aggrieved. This is the emotion a person feels when they have been 欺负'd.
• 开玩笑 (kāi wánxiào) - To tell a joke, to tease. This is what you are doing when it's friendly and mutual. It crosses into 欺负 when it's no longer funny to the other person.