qīpiàn: 欺骗 - to Deceive, to Cheat, to Swindle

• Keywords: qipian, 欺骗, deceive in Chinese, cheat in Chinese, lie in Chinese, swindle in Chinese, Chinese word for fraud, qipian meaning, 欺骗用法, betrayal in Chinese, scam
• Summary: Learn the powerful Chinese word 欺骗 (qīpiàn), which means to deceive, cheat, or swindle. This entry explores its strong negative meaning, a step beyond a simple lie, often implying malicious intent, betrayal, or financial fraud. Understand how to use 欺骗 (qīpiàn) in contexts from personal relationships to business scams, and learn to distinguish it from related terms like 撒谎 (sāhuǎng) and 忽悠 (hūyou). This guide is essential for any learner wanting to grasp the serious nature of deception in Chinese culture.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): qīpiàn
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To intentionally deceive, cheat, or swindle someone, often for personal gain and causing harm.
• In a Nutshell: 欺骗 (qīpiàn) is not a word for a little white lie. It describes a deliberate and often elaborate act of misleading someone. It carries a heavy, negative weight, implying a serious breach of trust, betrayal of feelings, or a calculated scam. Accusing someone of 欺骗 (qīpiàn) is a very serious matter.

• 欺 (qī): This character means “to bully,” “to take advantage of,” or “to cheat.” It combines the phonetic component 其 (qí) with the radical 欠 (qiàn), which can mean to lack or owe, suggesting an act that puts someone at a disadvantage.
• 骗 (piàn): This character means “to swindle,” “to trick,” or “to cheat.” It features the horse radical 马 (mǎ) on the left and a phonetic component 扁 (biǎn) on the right. One traditional explanation is that it relates to tricking someone by horse, such as selling a bad horse or tricking them onto a horse to be led away.
• Together, 欺 (bullying/cheating) and 骗 (swindling/tricking) form a powerful compound word that leaves no doubt about the malicious and harmful intent of the deception.

In Chinese culture, where social harmony and trust (诚信, chéngxìn) are paramount virtues, 欺骗 (qīpiàn) is a deeply offensive act. It's seen as a fundamental violation of interpersonal relationships (关系, guānxì) and can cause a severe loss of social standing or “face” (面子, miànzi) for both the deceiver and the deceived. A useful Western comparison is the difference between “misleading” and “defrauding.” While someone might mislead you by omitting a detail, 欺骗 (qīpiàn) is closer to the act of “defrauding” – a conscious, planned effort to trick someone for a negative outcome, be it emotional or financial. Telling your friend you're busy when you're not is 撒谎 (sāhuǎng - to lie). Creating a fake online profile to trick them into giving you money is 欺骗 (qīpiàn). The act directly attacks the foundation of trust that holds relationships and society together.

欺骗 (qīpiàn) is a formal and serious term used in various negative contexts.

• In Relationships: A very common and serious use is 欺骗感情 (qīpiàn gǎnqíng), which means “to deceive someone's feelings” or “to play with someone's heart.” It implies a deep emotional betrayal.
• In Business and Finance: This term is frequently used to describe commercial fraud, scams, and false advertising. News reports on 电话诈骗 (diànhuà zhàpiàn - telephone scams) will often use the word 欺骗 (qīpiàn) to describe the act.
• In Legal Settings: It is a formal term used in legal proceedings and documents when referring to acts of fraud or deception.
• General Moral Judgement: You can use it to describe any act you feel is a profound and unacceptable deception.

The word is almost exclusively negative and carries no playful or light-hearted connotations.

• Example 1:
  • 他欺骗了我。
  • Pinyin: Tā qīpiàn le wǒ.
  • English: He deceived me.
  • Analysis: A simple, direct, and serious accusation. The use of 欺骗 implies more than a single lie; it suggests a significant betrayal of trust.
• Example 2:
  • 你不能欺骗自己的感情。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bùnéng qīpiàn zìjǐ de gǎnqíng.
  • English: You can't deceive your own feelings.
  • Analysis: This shows 欺骗 used in a more introspective way, meaning “to lie to oneself” or “to be in denial” about one's true emotions.
• Example 3:
  • 这家公司因欺骗消费者而被罚款。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī yīn qīpiàn xiāofèizhě ér bèi fákuǎn.
  • English: This company was fined for deceiving consumers.
  • Analysis: A typical example from a business or legal context. Here, 欺骗 refers to fraudulent practices or false advertising.
• Example 4:
  • 我最讨厌的就是欺骗和背叛。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zuì tǎoyàn de jiùshì qīpiàn hé bèipàn.
  • English: The things I hate the most are deception and betrayal.
  • Analysis: Here, 欺骗 is used as a noun, representing the abstract concept of “deception.”
• Example 5:
  • 很多老年人容易被电话诈骗所欺骗。
  • Pinyin: Hěnduō lǎoniánrén róngyì bèi diànhuà zhàpiàn suǒ qīpiàn.
  • English: Many elderly people are easily deceived by telephone scams.
  • Analysis: This uses the passive structure 被 (bèi) to show that the elderly are the victims of deception. 被欺骗 (bèi qīpiàn) means “to be deceived.”
• Example 6:
  • 不要被他无辜的外表所欺骗。
  • Pinyin: Búyào bèi tā wúgū de wàibiǎo suǒ qīpiàn.
  • English: Don't be deceived by his innocent appearance.
  • Analysis: A common warning construction. It advises someone to look past a misleading surface to see the reality.
• Example 7:
  • 我感觉自己完全被欺骗了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ gǎnjué zìjǐ wánquán bèi qīpiàn le.
  • English: I feel like I've been completely deceived.
  • Analysis: This sentence expresses the victim's feeling of total betrayal and manipulation.
• Example 8:
  • 他的整个计划就是一个巨大的欺骗。
  • Pinyin: Tā de zhěnggè jìhuà jiùshì yí ge jùdà de qīpiàn.
  • English: His entire plan was just one huge deception.
  • Analysis: Again, 欺骗 is used as a noun here, modified by “huge” (巨大的) to emphasize the scale of the deceit.
• Example 9:
  • 他用欺骗的手段得到了这份工作。
  • Pinyin: Tā yòng qīpiàn de shǒuduàn dédào le zhè fèn gōngzuò.
  • English: He used deceptive means to get this job.
  • Analysis: 欺骗的手段 (qīpiàn de shǒuduàn) is a set phrase for “deceptive methods/tactics.” It clearly frames the actions as dishonest.
• Example 10:
  • 诚实是最好的策略，欺骗最终会失败。
  • Pinyin: Chéngshí shì zuì hǎo de cèlüè, qīpiàn zuìzhōng huì shībài.
  • English: Honesty is the best policy; deception will ultimately fail.
  • Analysis: This sentence sets up a moral contrast between honesty (诚实) and deception (欺骗), treating them as opposing concepts.

• `欺骗 (qīpiàn)` vs. `撒谎 (sāhuǎng)`: This is the most critical distinction.
  • `撒谎 (sāhuǎng)` means “to tell a lie.” It refers to a specific, verbal untruth. A child can `撒谎` about finishing their homework.
  • `欺骗 (qīpiàn)` is a broader, more serious concept of “deception.” It can involve lies, but also actions, manipulation, and elaborate schemes. A con artist `欺骗`s people out of their money. All `欺骗` involves `撒谎`, but not all `撒谎` is part of a `欺骗`.
• `欺骗 (qīpiàn)` vs. `骗 (piàn)`:
  • `骗 (piàn)` is a single character verb and is more colloquial. You can simply say 他骗我 (tā piàn wǒ) for “He lied to me/tricked me.”
  • `欺骗 (qīpiàn)` is more formal and carries more weight. It emphasizes the malicious and harmful nature of the act. Using 欺骗 makes the accusation sound more deliberate and serious.
• “False Friend” Warning: Be careful not to equate 欺骗 (qīpiàn) with the English word “trick.” While “trick” can mean to deceive, it can also be playful (e.g., a magic trick, “trick-or-treat”). 欺骗 (qīpiàn) has zero playful or positive connotations. It is always negative and serious.

• 骗子 (piànzi) - Swindler, con artist. The person who commits the act of 欺骗.
• 诈骗 (zhàpiàn) - To swindle, fraud. A very similar term, but often used specifically for large-scale financial or legal fraud (e.g., 电信诈骗, telecom fraud).
• 撒谎 (sāhuǎng) - To tell a lie. A more specific and often less severe act than 欺骗.
• 谎言 (huǎngyán) - A lie, a falsehood (noun). The tool used in 欺骗.
• 上当 (shàngdàng) - To be fooled, to fall for a scam. The experience of the victim of 欺骗. (e.g., 我上当了! - I was fooled!).
• 忽悠 (hūyou) - (Colloquial) To dupe, to bamboozle. A much more informal and less severe term, sometimes implying fast-talking or exaggeration rather than outright fraud.
• 背叛 (bèipàn) - To betray. This describes the emotional result of being deceived by someone you trust.
• 诚信 (chéngxìn) - Honesty, integrity, trustworthiness. The core value that 欺骗 violates.