巧取豪夺

巧取豪奪

qiǎoqǔ-háoduó

idiom #42,158

Meanings

1 to seize by trickery or by force
2 to plunder by any means
3 extortion and strong-arming

Characters

clever / cunning

Examples

他巧取豪夺，积累了大量财富。

Tā qiǎoqǔháoduó, jīlěi le dàliàng cáifù.

He amassed huge wealth through trickery and outright seizure.

殖民者对这片土地巧取豪夺。

Zhímín zhě duì zhè piàn tǔdì qiǎoqǔháoduó.

The colonizers plundered this land by every means available.

Tips

history

Adapted from Su Shi's poem "巧偷豪夺古来有" about collectors extorting paintings. The modern form 巧取豪夺 describes any combination of cunning and force used to take what isn't yours.

Stroke Order

巧 qiǎo

取 qǔ

豪 háo

夺 duó