趁 (chèn) - To take advantage of & to avail oneself of (an opportunity)

趁Tone 4

chèn ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

晨呈

趁 · chèn

To take advantage of;

to avail oneself of (an opportunity);

while;

during;

to follow along with.

To take advantage ofto avail oneself of (an opportunity)while

Usage highlights

Take advantage ofTake the opportunityWhile it's hotWhile convenientFollow the trendTake advantage of the situation

Synonyms

  • 乘— to ride; to take advantage of
  • 借— to borrow; to make use of
  • 利用— to utilize; to make use of

Antonyms

  • 错失— to miss (an opportunity)
  • 放弃— to give up; to abandon

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Take advantage of the good weather to go hiking (趁天气好去爬山).
  • Let's go while it's still light (趁天亮走吧).
  • Take the opportunity while you're young to travel (趁年轻多出去走走).
  • He took advantage of the discount to buy a new phone (他趁打折买了新手机).

Collocations

  • Take advantage of(趁)
  • Take the opportunity(趁机会)
  • While it's hot(趁热)
  • While convenient(趁便)
  • Follow the trend(趁势)
  • Take advantage of the situation(趁势)

Idioms

  • Strike while the iron is hot(趁热打铁)
  • Take advantage of someone's danger(趁人之危)
  • Take advantage of the fire to rob(趁火打劫)
  • Follow the victory to pursue(趁胜追击)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Reflects the pragmatic wisdom of seizing opportunities at the right moment in Chinese culture.
  • Often used in proverbs and idioms emphasizing timeliness and strategic action.
  • The character structure suggests 'walking' (走) to 'follow' a favorable condition.

FAQ