诈 zhà to cheat
to cheat; to defraud; treacherous
How to remember 诈: 讠 words + 乍 suddenly = to cheat. Grandpa's sweet words suddenly make sense when the kids find the extra aces he hid to cheat them at cards.
Component breakdown
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
诈 = 讠 words + 乍 suddenly
- 讠 words meaning
- 乍 suddenly sound
Grandpa's sweet words suddenly make sense when the kids find the extra aces he hid to cheat them at cards.
How it came to be
Words give the meaning and the sign for suddenly the sound; the word means to deceive.
How it is used
- 'To cheat/defraud': 诈骗 (zhàpiàn) to swindle, 欺诈 (qīzhà) fraud, 敲诈 (qiāozhà) to extort, 讹诈 (ézhà) to blackmail, 奸诈 (jiānzhà) treacherous.
- Also 'to feign': 诈死 (zhàsǐ) to play dead, 兵不厌诈 (bīngbúyànzhà) 'in war nothing is too deceitful', all is fair in warfare.