宰

• Pinyin: zǎi
• Desglose de hanzi: 宀 = roof/enclosure (setting); 辛 = hardship/punishment (action of butchering)

Significado

Sacrificar/degollar (ganado); (coloquial) timar o cobrar de más a un cliente.

Used in both literal (宰猪, 宰羊) and figurative senses. 宰客 describes merchants who systematically overcharge tourists or outsiders. The historical title 宰相 (prime minister) derives from a related but distinct etymological branch of the character.

Ejemplos

1. 节庆前夕，村里的农户开始宰猪备肉，为年夜饭做准备。
2. 那家餐厅专门宰外地游客，消费标准明显高出周边同类店铺。
3. 屠宰场须严格遵守检疫规程，确保宰杀流程符合食品安全标准。

Guía de uso

Contexto: food industry, consumer protection, colloquial

Tono: neutral/critical

Correcto

• 按照当地风俗，婚宴前一天家家户户都要宰鸡宰鸭，备齐宴席食材。(According to local custom, every household slaughters chickens and ducks the day before the wedding banquet to prepare the feast ingredients.)
• 这片旅游景区的部分商户以高价宰客而声名狼藉，有关部门已介入整治。(Some merchants in this tourist area are notorious for overcharging visitors — the relevant authorities have stepped in to carry out a crackdown.)

Incorrecto

• 宰掉这份工作 — use 辞掉 or 放弃 for quitting a job; 宰 refers to slaughtering animals or cheating customers, not ending employment

Origen e historia

宀 (roof/cover) + 辛 (punishment/hardship) — originally depicted a covered space where animals were slaughtered

Contexto cultural

Generación: All ages

Contexto social: Universal