蹭

• Pinyin: cèng
• Hanzi breakdown: 蹭 = 足 (foot) + 层 (phonetic)

Meaning

To rub against; to scrape; to freeload; to take advantage of something for free.

Has two main uses: (1) physical rubbing or scraping; (2) colloquial — to piggyback on something for free, e.g. 蹭饭 (cadge a meal), 蹭网 (use someone's Wi-Fi), 蹭车 (hitch a free ride). The colloquial sense is widely used in informal speech.

Examples

1. 他骑自行车时不小心蹭到了路边的护栏，车身留下了一道划痕。 While cycling he accidentally scraped the roadside barrier, leaving a scratch on the bike frame.
2. 下班路上他顺便蹭了同事的车回家，省了一笔打车费。 On the way home after work he hitched a free ride with a colleague, saving himself a taxi fare.
3. 这只猫喜欢把头蹭在主人腿上，表达它的亲昵与依赖。 This cat likes to rub its head against its owner's leg to show affection and attachment.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, colloquial, transport, food, social

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 今天去你家蹭顿饭怎么样？(How about I come over to your place and cadge a meal today?)
• 停车时没注意，把别人的车蹭了一下，得联系车主处理一下。(I wasn't paying attention when parking and scraped someone else's car — I need to contact the owner to sort it out.)

Don't Say

• 他在会议上蹭了很多意见。(蹭 means physical rubbing or freeloading — not 'gathering opinions'; use 收集 or 征询)

Origin & History

蹭 = 足 (foot) + 层 (phonetic). Suggests the scraping sound or motion of a foot against a surface.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal