乘人之危
乘人之危 (chéng rén zhī wēi) literally means “ride person's danger” and expresses “exploit others during their vulnerability”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character.
Also searched as: cheng ren zhi wei, cheng ren zhi wei,乘人之危 meaning, 乘人之危 in english
Exploit others during their vulnerability
Pronunciation: chéng rén zhī wēi Literal meaning: Ride person's danger
Origin & Usage
Han Dynasty military treatises first condemned this practice of taking advantage (乘) of others' moments of vulnerability (危). Tang Dynasty Confucian scholars expanded it into a broader ethical principle. The metaphor of 'mounting' someone's difficulty suggested using their misfortune as a stepping stone for personal gain. Contemporary business ethics still wrestle with questions of when competitive advantage crosses into exploitation.
Examples
English: "The competitor offered an unfairly low buyout price during the company's financial crisis"
Chinese: 竞争对手在公司财务危机期间提出了不公平的低价收购要约
Related Chinese Idioms
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一模一样
yī mú yī yàng
Exactly identical
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以心换心
yǐ xīn huàn xīn
Treat others as yourself
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海纳百川
hǎi nà bǎi chuān
Accept all with open mind
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以和为贵
yǐ hé wéi guì
Value harmony above all
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同舟共济
tóng zhōu gòng jì
Face challenges together
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风雨同舟
fēng yǔ tóng zhōu
Share hardships together
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春风化雨
chūn fēng huà yǔ
Gentle, nurturing influence
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 乘人之危 mean in English?
乘人之危 (chéng rén zhī wēi) literally translates to “Ride person's danger” and is used to express “Exploit others during their vulnerability”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.
When is 乘人之危 used?
Situation: The competitor offered an unfairly low buyout price during the company's financial crisis
What is the pinyin for 乘人之危?
The pinyin pronunciation for 乘人之危 is “chéng rén zhī wēi”.