piàn: 骗 - To Cheat, To Deceive, To Swindle, To Trick

• Keywords: 骗, piàn, cheat in Chinese, deceive in Chinese, swindle, trick, scam, con, Chinese for scammer, how to say deceive, lie in Chinese, phone scams in China.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb 骗 (piàn), meaning to cheat, deceive, or swindle. This page breaks down its meaning, cultural significance, and practical use. From playful tricks among friends to serious financial scams (诈骗, zhàpiàn), understanding 骗 (piàn) is crucial for navigating modern Chinese society, recognizing warnings, and protecting yourself from being conned. This guide provides clear examples, cultural insights, and common mistakes to help you master this fundamental word.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): piàn
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To intentionally deceive, trick, or swindle someone for personal gain.
• In a Nutshell: 骗 (piàn) is the go-to verb in Chinese for any act of deception. It carries a strong negative connotation, implying a deliberate act of misleading someone. While it can be used for something as minor as tricking a friend, its core meaning relates to more serious situations like scams, fraud, and cons. If you hear this word, it's almost always a red flag indicating dishonesty and malicious intent.

• 骗 (piàn): This is a phono-semantic compound character, meaning it combines a meaning component with a sound component.
  • Radical (Meaning): 马 (mǎ) - horse. In ancient China, horses were valuable assets and a primary mode of transport. The horse radical hints at the nature of a swindle. One memorable interpretation is that a con artist would trick you and then leap onto his horse to make a swift getaway before you realized what had happened.
  • Phonetic (Sound): 扁 (biǎn/piān). This character on its own means “flat,” but its main purpose here is to provide the pronunciation for 骗 (piàn).
• The combination of “horse” (马) and the sound from “扁” creates a vivid image of trickery followed by a quick escape—the very essence of a swindle.

• Trust as a Cornerstone: In Chinese culture, which places a high value on relationships (关系, guānxi) and social harmony, trust (信任, xìnrèn) is paramount. The act of 骗 (piàn) is therefore a profound violation. To call someone a 骗子 (piànzi), or “swindler,” is a severe accusation that can destroy their reputation and social standing (“face,” or 面子, miànzi).
• Comparison to “White Lies”: In Western culture, a “white lie” is often seen as a harmless or even kind way to spare someone's feelings. While a similar concept exists in Chinese (善意的谎言, shànyì de huǎngyán - “a lie of good intentions”), using the verb 骗 (piàn) to describe it would be far too harsh. 骗 (piàn) almost always implies a self-serving or malicious motive. You might tell a white lie (说谎, shuōhuǎng), but you 骗 (piàn) someone to take their money or betray their trust.
• Modern Day Relevance: Public awareness about scams is extremely high in modern China. You will constantly see warnings on subways, in banks, and on TV about telephone scams (电信诈骗, diànxìn zhàpiàn) and online fraud. The word 骗 (piàn) is a key part of the national vocabulary for public safety and personal security.

The usage of 骗 (piàn) ranges from informal accusations to formal legal contexts.

• Accusations in Daily Life: Among friends or family, it can be used somewhat playfully to mean “you're tricking me” or “you're lying.” The tone of voice is key.
• Scams and Fraud: This is the most common and serious usage. It refers to any act of swindling someone, especially for money. News reports, police warnings, and conversations about crime heavily feature this word.
• Emotional Deception: 骗 (piàn) can also be used for non-financial deception, such as tricking someone into a relationship or betraying their emotions. This is often described as “骗感情” (piàn gǎnqíng).

• Example 1:
  • 你别骗我了，我知道你在开玩笑。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bié piàn wǒ le, wǒ zhīdào nǐ zài kāi wánxiào.
  • English: Stop tricking me, I know you're joking.
  • Analysis: This is a lighthearted, informal use of 骗. The context of “joking” (开玩笑) softens the word's harshness, making it clear it's not a serious accusation.
• Example 2:
  • 他骗妈妈说他已经做完作业了。
  • Pinyin: Tā piàn māma shuō tā yǐjīng zuò wán zuòyè le.
  • English: He lied to his mom, saying he had already finished his homework.
  • Analysis: Here, 骗 means “to lie to” or “to deceive.” It's more serious than a simple fib because it implies a deliberate act of deception to avoid consequences.
• Example 3:
  • 我的钱都叫那个骗子骗走了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de qián dōu jiào nàge piànzi piàn zǒu le.
  • English: All my money was swindled away by that con artist.
  • Analysis: A classic example of being scammed. Note the use of 骗子 (piànzi) for “con artist” and the passive structure with 叫 (jiào), which works like 被 (bèi). The result complement “走” (zǒu) indicates the money is gone.
• Example 4:
  • 小心！这个网站看起来有点骗人。
  • Pinyin: Xiǎoxīn! Zhège wǎngzhàn kànqǐlái yǒudiǎn piànrén.
  • English: Be careful! This website looks a bit deceptive.
  • Analysis: The phrase 骗人 (piànrén) can act like an adjective meaning “deceptive” or “scam-like.” It's a common way to describe suspicious things.
• Example 5:
  • 他骗了我的感情。
  • Pinyin: Tā piàn le wǒ de gǎnqíng.
  • English: He deceived my feelings / He played with my heart.
  • Analysis: This shows 骗 used in an emotional context. It means the person was insincere and manipulated the speaker's emotions for their own benefit.
• Example 6:
  • 做生意要诚实，不能骗顾客。
  • Pinyin: Zuò shēngyì yào chéngshí, bùnéng piàn gùkè.
  • English: When doing business, you must be honest; you can't cheat customers.
  • Analysis: This is a statement of principle, using 骗 in its core meaning of “to cheat” in a commercial context.
• Example 7:
  • 我再也不会相信他了，他骗了我太多次。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zài yě bù huì xiāngxìn tā le, tā piàn le wǒ tài duō cì.
  • English: I will never trust him again, he has deceived me too many times.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the consequence of 骗—the complete loss of trust (信任, xìnrèn).
• Example 8:
  • 他把我骗到了一个陌生的地方，然后偷了我的钱包。
  • Pinyin: Tā bǎ wǒ piàn dào le yí ge mòshēng de dìfang, ránhòu tōu le wǒ de qiánbāo.
  • English: He tricked me into going to a strange place and then stole my wallet.
  • Analysis: Here, 骗 is the action of luring someone under false pretenses. The 把 (bǎ) structure emphasizes what happened to the object (“me”).
• Example 9:
  • 很多老年人被电话里的骗子骗去买没用的保健品。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō lǎoniánrén bèi diànhuà lǐ de piànzi piàn qù mǎi méiyòng de bǎojiànpǐn.
  • English: Many elderly people are tricked by scammers on the phone into buying useless health supplements.
  • Analysis: This describes a very common type of scam (骗局, piànjú) in China. It uses the passive voice (被, bèi) to show the elderly are victims.
• Example 10:
  • 你是不是骗我？这个价格好得难以置信。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shì bu shì piàn wǒ? Zhège jiàgé hǎo de nányǐ zhìxìn.
  • English: Are you pulling my leg? This price is too good to be true.
  • Analysis: A good example of using 骗 to express disbelief or suspicion when something seems too good. It's a direct but common way to question a situation's legitimacy.

• 骗 (piàn) vs. 说谎 (shuōhuǎng): This is a critical distinction for learners.
  • 说谎 (shuōhuǎng) specifically means “to tell a lie” – it's about the act of speaking falsehoods.
  • 骗 (piàn) is the broader act of deception. You can 骗 someone with actions, elaborate schemes, or by tricking them, not just with words.
  • Example: A vendor showing you a high-quality tea to sample, but then packaging a low-quality tea for you to buy is 骗 (piàn). He didn't necessarily 说谎 (shuōhuǎng), but he definitely cheated you.
• Intentional vs. Unintentional: 骗 (piàn) always implies intent. If a cashier gives you the wrong change by accident, they 找错钱了 (zhǎo cuò qián le - gave wrong change). If they do it on purpose to pocket the difference, they 骗 (piàn) you. Using 骗 for an honest mistake is a serious and incorrect accusation.
• False Friends: While 骗 can be translated as “to trick,” it is much stronger and more negative than its English counterpart. For a harmless prank or a playful trick, a word like 开玩笑 (kāi wánxiào - to joke) is often more appropriate. Saying “我骗你的 (Wǒ piàn nǐ de)” sounds much more like a real deception than a lighthearted “Just kidding!”

• 骗子 (piànzi) - The noun for a person who cheats or swindles; a con artist, a scammer.
• 欺骗 (qīpiàn) - A more formal and literary two-character word for “to deceive.” Often found in written Chinese or very serious speech.
• 诈骗 (zhàpiàn) - Specifically “to defraud” or “to swindle,” almost always involving money, property, or legal contracts. This is the official term for fraud.
• 骗局 (piànjú) - A noun for “a scam,” “a hoax,” or “a swindle.” Refers to the entire deceptive scheme or setup.
• 上当 (shàngdàng) - A verb meaning “to be duped” or “to fall for a scam.” This is from the victim's perspective. (e.g., 我上当了! - I've been had!).
• 谎言 (huǎngyán) - A noun meaning “a lie” or “a falsehood.”
• 说谎 (shuōhuǎng) - The verb phrase “to tell a lie.” It is the action, while 谎言 is the thing that is told.
• 忽悠 (hūyou) - A popular, informal slang term, especially in Northern China. It means to trick or mislead someone with fast, confusing, or exaggerated talk; to bamboozle or hoodwink. It's often less severe than 骗.