Meaning
奸诈 describes someone who is sly, deceitful, and uses cunning schemes to trick or harm others. It carries a strong negative connotation and suggests a person who cannot be trusted, often using clever manipulation to achieve selfish goals. This word is commonly used to describe villains in stories or people who engage in dishonest behavior.
Usage
This is a formal, literary term often used in written Chinese, news reports, or when discussing characters in novels and films. It's less common in casual daily conversation. Native speakers typically use it to make strong moral judgments about someone's character. It can describe both habitual personality traits and specific deceptive actions.
Examples
- 01这个奸诈的商人骗走了老人的积蓄。.This deceitful merchant swindled the elderly person out of their savings.
- 02小说中的反派角色非常奸诈，总是用计谋陷害别人。, .The villain in the novel is very treacherous, always using schemes to frame others.
Characters
Common collocations
- 奸诈狡猾crafty and cunning
- 奸诈小人treacherous person
- 为人奸诈to be a deceitful person
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters relate to immoral or criminal behavior. 奸 originally meant illicit sexual relations but expanded to mean treachery in general. 诈 combines 言 (speech) with 乍 (sudden), suggesting sudden or false speech intended to deceive.