Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
欺 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
to take unfair advantage ofHSK 7, vn, 12 strokes, radical 欠, rank #16676, Hard
to deceiveHSK 7, vn, 12 strokes, radical 欠, rank #16676, Hard
to cheatHSK 7, vn, 12 strokes, radical 欠, rank #16676, Hard
to cheat, to double-cross, to deceiveHSK 7, vn, 12 strokes, radical 欠, rank #16676, Hard
(qi1) T1
  1. 1to take unfair advantage of
  2. 2to deceive
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(qi1)

The character 欺 (qī) refers to the act of deceiving or taking unfair advantage of someone. It is commonly used in contexts involving dishonesty, betrayal, or cheating, such as in personal relationships or business dealings. Its nuance often implies a sense of moral wrongdoing in the act of deceiving others.

Strokes12RadicalFrequency#16676DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of honesty and integrity is deeply valued, and 欺 represents a serious breach of trust, especially in business relationships. Stories about tricksters and their consequences are common in Chinese folklore.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sly fox (the character's shape resembles a fox's cunning nature) sneaking up on a hen (the radical 欺 suggests trickery) to deceive her for a meal. The 'qī' sound can be remembered as a quiet whisper, like the fox trying to sneak up silently.

Meanings of 欺

(qi1)
1to take unfair advantage of
2to deceive
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 欺

Simplified
12Strokes
Radical
名动词dòngcíverb-noun (v.-n.)Part of Speech
#16676Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7

Podcast: 欺

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 欺

Quick Contrast

欺 (deceive) vs 骗 (cheat) — use 欺 for moral wrongdoing in deception, while 骗 focuses more on the act of trickery regardless of moral implications.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a sly fox (the character's shape resembles a fox's cunning nature) sneaking up on a hen (the radical 欺 suggests trickery) to deceive her for a meal. The 'qī' sound can be remembered as a quiet whisper, like the fox trying to sneak up silently.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 欺 with 期 (qī), which means 'period' or 'term'. It is important to use 欺 in contexts that involve deception. This term is more suited for formal discussions about dishonesty rather than casual conversation.

HSK Study Tips

While 欺 is not a part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your grasp of related concepts in advanced levels, such as 欺骗 (qīpiàn, to deceive). Focus on using it in sentences that illustrate its meaning clearly.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of honesty and integrity is deeply valued, and 欺 represents a serious breach of trust, especially in business relationships. Stories about tricksters and their consequences are common in Chinese folklore.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is confusing 欺 with similar-sounding characters like 其 (qí), which means 'its' or 'that'. Remember to use 欺 specifically for contexts involving deception. For example, saying '他其骗了我' is incorrect; it should be '他欺骗了我'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 欺

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 欺

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 欠 represents the meaning and 其 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

lack

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 欺?

Decomposition of 欺

IDS Structure⿰其欠
Full Character
=
qi2
left
qian4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 欺?

Write 欺

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 欺

欺 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

你以为你可以____负我吗?你不能,永远不能!

Do you think you can walk over me? Well, you won't, ever!

Example Sentences for 欺 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
你以为你可以欺负我吗?你不能,永远不能!

nǐ yǐ wéi nǐ kě yǐ qī fù wǒ ma? ? nǐ bù, néng , yǒng yuǎn!

Do you think you can walk over me? Well, you won't, ever!
2
关键问题是4名被告是否存在欺诈行为。

guān jiàn wèn tí shì4 4 míng bèi gào shì fǒu cún zài qī zhà háng。

The key issue was whether the four defendants acted dishonestly.
3
告诉孩子们,如果被人欺负就告诉大人。

gào sù hái zǐ mén, , rú guǒ bèi rén qī fù jiù gào sù dà。

Tell children to tell a grown-up if they're being bullied.
4
他们说这些指控与另一件欺诈案有关。

tā mén shuō zhè xiē zhǐ kòng yǔ lìng yī jiàn qī zhà àn yǒu guān。

They said the allegations related to an isolated case of cheating.
5
有一些人会想要让你难堪,欺负你。

yǒu yī xiē rén huì xiǎng yào ràng nǐ nán kān, , qī fù。

There are people who want to humiliate you and grind you down.
6
很多不能或不按规矩行事的小孩常常被人欺负。

hěn duō bù néng huò bù àn guī jǔ háng shì de xiǎo hái cháng cháng bèi rén qī fù。

Many children who can't or don't conform are often bullied.
7
她的助手被警方指控犯有盗窃和欺诈罪。

tā de zhù shǒu bèi jǐng fāng zhǐ kòng fàn yǒu dào qiè hé qī zhà zuì。

Her assistant was accused of theft and fraud by the police.
8
幸运的是,这样的欺诈公司越来越少了。

xìng yùn de shì, , zhè yàng de qī zhà gōng sī yuè lái yuè shǎo。

Fortunately, such cowboy firms are becoming rarer.
9
当他的欺诈行为被发现时,他的银行账户上只有20.17英镑。

dāng tā de qī zhà háng wéi bèi fā xiàn shí, , tā de yín háng zhàng hù shàng zhī20.17 yǒu 20.17。

When his fraud was rumbled he had just £17 in the bank.
10
当帕雷蒂穿过柏油路的时候,反欺诈警察围了上去。

dāng pà léi dì chuān guò bǎi yóu lù de shí hòu, , fǎn qī zhà jǐng chá wéi le shàng。

As Parretti walked across the tarmac, fraud officers closed in.

Cultural Notes for 欺

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of honesty and integrity is deeply valued, and 欺 represents a serious breach of trust, especially in business relationships. Stories about tricksters and their consequences are common in Chinese folklore.

Word Family of 欺

Compounds1
Words Containing This Character20
欺骗qīpiànto deceive欺騙
欺负qīfuto bully欺負
欺诈qīzhàto cheat欺詐
to deceive
自欺欺人to believe one's own lies
欺凌to bully and humiliate
欺压to bully欺壓
欺侮to bully
欺瞒to fool欺瞞
欺人太甚to bully intolerably (idiom)
自欺to deceive oneself
仗势欺人to kick people around仗勢欺人
可欺gullible
诈欺fraud詐欺
欺世盗名to fool the world and usurp a good name (idiom)欺世盜名
欺辱to humiliate
童叟无欺Our house offers sincere treatment to all and fair trade to old and young alike.童叟無欺
欺生to cheat strangers
欺蒙to deceive欺矇
欺哄to dupe
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 欺骗 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 欺

You can say '他欺骗了我' (tā qīpiàn le wǒ) meaning 'He deceived me'.