诈骗

• Pinyin: zhà piàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 诈 = 讠 + 乍 (to deceive); 骗 = 马 + 扁 (to cheat)

Meaning

To defraud; to swindle; fraud. The act of obtaining money or benefits through deception.

Legal term covering various types of fraud: 电信诈骗 (telecom fraud), 网络诈骗 (online fraud), 金融诈骗 (financial fraud). Increasingly common with rise of digital scams. Criminal offense: 诈骗罪 (crime of fraud).

Examples

1. 警方破获一起特大网络诈骗案，涉案金额高达数千万元。 Police cracked a major online fraud case involving tens of millions of yuan.
2. 老年人要提高警惕，谨防电信诈骗陷阱。 Older adults should stay alert and guard against telecom scam traps.
3. 他因诈骗罪被判处有期徒刑十年并处罚金。 He was sentenced to ten years in prison for fraud and also fined.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, crime, warnings

Tone: negative

Do Say

• 如果接到陌生来电要求转账，很可能是诈骗，千万不要轻信。(If you receive a call from a stranger asking for a transfer, it's likely fraud — never believe it.)
• 反诈骗中心提醒市民保护好个人信息，防止被不法分子利用。(The anti-fraud center reminds citizens to protect their personal information to prevent exploitation by criminals.)

Don't Say

• 他诈骗我感情 — for emotional deception use 欺骗感情; 诈骗 is primarily for financial fraud

Origin & History

诈 (to deceive/feign) + 骗 (to cheat/swindle)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal