投机取巧
tóu jī qǔ qiǎo
to get ahead by tricks instead of honest effort
Character by character
投tóu
seize
seize
机jī
chance
chance
取qǔ
use
use
巧qiǎo
trick
trick
Example
学习没有投机取巧的办法，只能一步一个脚印地往前走。
There are no tricks in learning: you can only go forward one step at a time.
Tone: negative (criticism).
Usage and origin
投机 (lesson 3-20) is to grab a chance or to speculate. Always critical: 靠投机取巧, 投机取巧的人. A cheat who cuts the course, copies homework or games the rules is 投机取巧.
Learn this in Lesson 146 · HSK 7–9: 马拉松热 (Marathon fever)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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