讹 é to swindle
to swindle; to cheat; error
How to remember 讹: 讠 words + 化 change = to swindle. The fake plumber uses smooth words to change a small repair into a huge bill, trying to swindle the old lady.
Component breakdown
讹 = 讠 words + 化 change
- 讠 words
- 化 change
- 亻 person
- 𠤎 spoon
The fake plumber uses smooth words to change a small repair into a huge bill, trying to swindle the old lady.
How it is used
- Two senses: 'to extort/blackmail' - 讹诈 (ézhà) to extort under false pretenses, 讹人 (é rén) to swindle someone; and 'error/false' - 讹传 (échuán) a false rumor.
- 以讹传讹 (yǐ'é-chuán'é) describes errors spreading and compounding as each person passes on the mistake.