zhàpiàn: 诈骗 - To Scam, Defraud, Fraud, Swindle

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• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese term 诈骗 (zhàpiàn), which means “to scam” or “defraud.” This comprehensive guide covers everything from common telephone and internet fraud to the types of swindles a foreigner might encounter in China. Understanding zhàpiàn is crucial for navigating modern Chinese society safely, as it refers to serious, illegal acts of deception for financial gain. Discover its cultural context, practical usage, and how to talk about protecting yourself from common scams.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): zhàpiàn
• Part of Speech: Verb / Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To obtain money or property by deception; a scam or act of fraud.
• In a Nutshell: `诈骗 (zhàpiàn)` isn't just a simple lie or a white lie; it's a serious, deliberate, and often illegal act of trickery designed to steal from someone. It's the word you use for phishing emails, fake investment schemes, and phone calls from someone pretending to be the police to extort money. The term carries a strong negative connotation of malicious, calculated deception for material gain.

• 诈 (zhà): The left radical `言 (yán)` means “speech” or “words.” The right part `乍 (zhà)` provides the sound and hints at “suddenness.” Together, `诈` signifies deception through words—to feign, pretend, or cheat using clever and misleading language.
• 骗 (piàn): The left radical `马 (mǎ)` means “horse.” The right part `扁 (biǎn)` provides the sound. An ancient interpretation suggests the character's origin relates to tricking someone onto a horse to be carried away, or perhaps clever tricks used in horse trading. The core meaning is to deceive or swindle.

When combined, `诈骗 (zhàpiàn)` forms a powerful compound word. `诈` emphasizes the element of pretense and verbal trickery, while `骗` emphasizes the act of swindling. Together, they describe a formal, often criminal, act of fraud.

In modern China, `诈骗` is a topic of immense public concern. With the rapid rise of digital payments (Alipay, WeChat Pay) and near-universal internet access, new forms of fraud have emerged and proliferated. The government and state media run constant public awareness campaigns against `电信诈骗 (diànxìn zhàpiàn)`—telecom and internet fraud. You will frequently see posters in subways, messages on banking apps, and segments on the evening news warning citizens about the latest schemes. While the concept of a “scam” is universal, the cultural conversation in China is highly centralized and prominent. In the West, scam awareness is often driven by non-profits, individual consumer advocates, or specialized media. In China, it is a national-level priority, with police departments having dedicated anti-fraud divisions. This reflects a societal effort to maintain trust and security in a rapidly digitizing economy. Scammers often exploit cultural values, such as respect for authority (by impersonating police) or the importance of `关系 (guānxi)` (by building a fake relationship before asking for money).

`诈骗` is a common but serious word used in news, legal contexts, and serious conversations about crime. ### As a Verb (To Scam/Defraud) It's used to describe the action of scamming someone.

• `他诈骗了我的钱。 (Tā zhàpiàn le wǒ de qián.)` - He scammed my money.

### As a Noun (A Scam/Fraud) It's used to label an event or scheme as a fraud.

• `这是一个典型的爱情诈骗。 (Zhè shì yí ge diǎnxíng de àiqíng zhàpiàn.)` - This is a typical romance scam.

### Common Collocations `诈骗` is often paired with other words to describe specific types of fraud:

• 电信诈骗 (diànxìn zhàpiàn): Telecom fraud (the most common umbrella term for phone and internet scams).
• 网络诈骗 (wǎngluò zhàpiàn): Internet/online fraud.
• 诈骗电话 (zhàpiàn diànhuà): Scam phone call.
• 诈骗短信 (zhàpiàn duǎnxìn): Scam text message.
• 诈骗团伙 (zhàpiàn tuánhuǒ): A fraud ring or scam syndicate.
• 反诈骗 (fǎn zhàpiàn): Anti-fraud.

• Example 1:
  • 现在诈骗电话太多了，你一定要小心。
  • Pinyin: Xiànzài zhàpiàn diànhuà tài duō le, nǐ yídìng yào xiǎoxīn.
  • English: There are too many scam calls these days, you must be careful.
  • Analysis: A very common warning you might hear from friends or see in public service announcements. `诈骗` is used here as an adjective to modify `电话` (phone call).
• Example 2:
  • 我昨天接到一个电话，差点儿就被诈骗了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zuótiān jiēdào yí ge diànhuà, chàdiǎnr jiù bèi zhàpiàn le.
  • English: I received a call yesterday and was almost scammed.
  • Analysis: The passive structure `被 (bèi)` is used here, which is very common when talking about being the victim of a crime. `差点儿 (chàdiǎnr)` means “almost.”
• Example 3:
  • 警方成功打掉了一个特大诈骗团伙。
  • Pinyin: Jǐngfāng chénggōng dǎdiào le yí ge tèdà zhàpiàn tuánhuǒ.
  • English: The police successfully busted a massive fraud syndicate.
  • Analysis: This is typical news headline language. `打掉 (dǎdiào)` is a vivid verb meaning “to break” or “bust” a criminal group. `诈骗` here modifies `团伙` (group/syndicate).
• Example 4:
  • 他因参与网络诈骗活动而被逮捕。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīn cānyù wǎngluò zhàpiàn huódòng ér bèi dàibǔ.
  • English: He was arrested for participating in online fraud activities.
  • Analysis: This sentence demonstrates a formal structure `因…而… (yīn…ér…)` meaning “because of… therefore…”. `网络诈骗 (wǎngluò zhàpiàn)` is a very specific and common term.
• Example 5:
  • 这是一个精心设计的诈骗，很多人都上当了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì yí ge jīngxīn shèjì de zhàpiàn, hěn duō rén dōu shàngdàng le.
  • English: This is an elaborately designed scam; a lot of people were fooled.
  • Analysis: Here, `诈骗` is used as a noun. The sentence also introduces the useful phrase `上当 (shàngdàng)`, which means “to be fooled” or “to fall for it.”
• Example 6:
  • 那个所谓的投资机会其实就是个诈骗。
  • Pinyin: Nàge suǒwèi de tóuzī jīhuì qíshí jiù shì ge zhàpiàn.
  • English: That so-called investment opportunity is actually just a scam.
  • Analysis: `所谓的 (suǒwèi de)` means “so-called” and is perfect for expressing skepticism. `其实 (qíshí)` means “actually” or “in fact.”
• Example 7:
  • 老年人是电信诈骗的主要目标之一。
  • Pinyin: Lǎoniánrén shì diànxìn zhàpiàn de zhǔyào mùbiāo zhīyī.
  • English: The elderly are one of the main targets of telecom fraud.
  • Analysis: This highlights a key social issue in China. `电信诈骗 (diànxìn zhàpiàn)` is the official term for fraud conducted over phone or internet.
• Example 8:
  • 这个诈骗犯骗取了受害者毕生的积蓄。
  • Pinyin: Zhège zhàpiànfàn piànqǔ le shòuhàizhě bìshēng de jīxù.
  • English: This scammer defrauded the victim of their life savings.
  • Analysis: This introduces the word for the criminal: `诈骗犯 (zhàpiànfàn)`, which literally means “fraud criminal.” `骗取 (piànqǔ)` is a more formal verb meaning “to gain by cheating.”
• Example 9:
  • 如果你怀疑自己遇到了诈骗，应该立即报警。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ huáiyí zìjǐ yùdào le zhàpiàn, yīnggāi lìjí bàojǐng.
  • English: If you suspect you've encountered a scam, you should report it to the police immediately.
  • Analysis: Practical advice. `怀疑 (huáiyí)` means “to suspect,” and `报警 (bàojǐng)` means “to call the police.” `遇到 (yùdào)` means “to encounter” or “to run into.”
• Example 10:
  • 他只是骗我说他会来，这不算诈骗，只是一句谎话。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhǐshì piàn wǒ shuō tā huì lái, zhè bú suàn zhàpiàn, zhǐshì yí jù huǎnghuà.
  • English: He just tricked me by saying he would come; that doesn't count as fraud, it's just a lie.
  • Analysis: This sentence clearly distinguishes between a simple act of `骗 (piàn)` (to lie/trick) and the more serious, criminal act of `诈骗 (zhàpiàn)`.

A common mistake for English speakers is to use `诈骗 (zhàpiàn)` for any kind of lie or deception. It's crucial to understand its gravity.

• `诈骗 (zhàpiàn)` vs. `骗 (piàn)`:
  • `骗 (piàn)` is a general verb meaning “to lie to,” “to trick,” or “to deceive.” It can be used for minor things.
  • `Correct:` 他骗我说他病了，其实他去看电影了。 (Tā piàn wǒ shuō tā bìng le, qíshí tā qù kàn diànyǐng le.) - He lied to me that he was sick, but actually he went to see a movie.
  • `Incorrect:` 他诈骗我说他病了。 (This sounds overly dramatic and legally serious, as if he faked an illness to get money from you under false pretenses.)
  • `诈骗 (zhàpiàn)` almost always involves a scheme to get money or valuables and has legal implications.
• `诈骗 (zhàpiàn)` vs. `坑 (kēng)`:
  • `坑 (kēng)` is a popular slang word that means “to rip off,” “to screw over,” or “to overcharge.” It's colloquial and usually involves a one-time unfair transaction.
  • `Example of 坑:` 这个景点一瓶水卖五十块，太坑了！ (Zhège jǐngdiǎn yì píng shuǐ mài wǔshí kuài, tài kēng le!) - This tourist spot sells a bottle of water for 50 RMB, what a rip-off!
  • `Example of 诈骗:` 他假装是慈善机构，骗走了我五千块钱。这是诈骗。 (Tā jiǎzhuāng shì císhàn jīgòu, piànzǒu le wǒ wǔqiān kuài qián. Zhè shì zhàpiàn.) - He pretended to be a charity and tricked me out of 5,000 RMB. This is fraud.
  • Being overcharged is getting `坑`-ed. Being tricked into sending money to a fake entity is `诈骗`.

• 骗子 (piànzi) - Swindler, con artist. The person who commits the act of `骗` or `诈骗`.
• 上当 (shàngdàng) - To be fooled, to fall for a scam. Describes the victim's experience. `我上当了！` (I fell for it!).
• 受骗 (shòupiàn) - A more formal way to say you were deceived or duped. Often used in written or official contexts.
• 骗局 (piànjú) - A scam, a hoax, a fraudulent scheme. This word emphasizes the entire setup or plot of the scam.
• 欺骗 (qīpiàn) - To deceive, to cheat. A broader and more formal term than `骗`, but often lacks the specific financial/criminal connotation of `诈骗`.
• 忽悠 (hūyou) - (Colloquial) To dupe, to con, especially through fast-talking, exaggeration, or making empty promises. It's less severe than `诈骗`.
• 坑 (kēng) - (Slang) To rip someone off, to overcharge. Not a sophisticated scheme, just an unfair deal.
• 反诈 (fǎnzhà) - A very common abbreviation for `反诈骗` (anti-fraud), often seen in the name of police apps or campaigns (e.g., 国家反诈中心 App - National Anti-Fraud Center App).