乘人之危

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: chéng rén zhī wēi
• English Translation: To take advantage of someone's difficulties, to exploit someone's vulnerability
• Idiom Composition: 「乘」（To take advantage of）＋「人」（Person）＋「之」（'s (possessive particle)）＋「危」（Danger, crisis）
• Meaning: To exploit someone's difficult or vulnerable situation for personal gain. This idiom is often used with a negative connotation, implying blame or criticism.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「乘人之危」 contains the following nuances:

• Immoral act: It carries a strong connotation of condemnation, as taking advantage of others' weaknesses is considered morally reprehensible.
• Despicable means: Emphasizes the despicable nature of exploiting situations where the other party cannot resist.
• Self-centered pursuit of gain: Indicates a selfish attitude of pursuing one's own interests without regard for others' misfortunes.
• Opportunism: Refers to opportunistic behavior, doing things normally avoided by taking advantage of another's weakened state.

3. Usage

「乘人之危」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Blame and criticism: Used to condemn or criticize acts of exploiting others' weaknesses.
  • Example:「他在朋友失业的时候，乘人之危，抢走了他的客户。」
    （When his friend lost his job, he took advantage of his vulnerability and stole his clients.）
• Warning and admonition: Used to warn or admonish against exploiting others' weaknesses.
  • Example:「我们不能乘人之危，做这种不道德的事情。」
    （We must not exploit others' vulnerabilities and engage in such immoral acts.）
• Description of a situation: Can also be used to objectively describe a situation where someone is taking advantage of another's weakness.
  • Example:「这家公司乘人之危，在竞争对手陷入困境时，恶意收购了对方。」
    （This company took advantage of the situation and maliciously acquired its competitor when it was in trouble.）

Additional Examples:

1. 在自然灾害发生后，一些不法商家乘人之危，哄抬物价，牟取暴利。
   （After the natural disaster, some unscrupulous businesses took advantage of the crisis, inflating prices and making huge profits.）
2. 他趁老板生病住院，乘人之危，夺取了公司的控制权。
   （He exploited his boss's hospitalization to seize control of the company.）
3. 真正的朋友不会乘人之危，而会在你困难的时候伸出援手。
   （True friends will not take advantage of your difficulties, but will offer a helping hand when you are in need.）
4. 这种乘人之危的行为，实在令人不齿。
   （Such an act of exploiting others' vulnerabilities is truly despicable.）
5. 尽管对方已经陷入绝境，但他并没有乘人之危，而是选择了公平竞争。
   （Although the other party was already in a desperate situation, he did not take advantage of their plight, but chose fair competition.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Confucian morality: In traditional Chinese morality, especially Confucianism, the spirit of '仁' (benevolence) which emphasizes helping those in need is highly valued. '乘人之危' is strongly condemned as an act against this '仁'.
• Social condemnation: In Chinese society, '乘人之危' is considered a very shameful act, and those who commit such acts may lose social credibility.
• Strong words of condemnation: '乘人之危' carries a very strong negative connotation. Therefore, it is important to consider the context and relationship with others carefully when using this idiom.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 落井下石 (luò jǐng xià shí): To throw stones at someone who has fallen into a well. To take advantage of someone's weakness and further attack them.
  • 趁火打劫 (chèn huǒ dǎ jié): To loot during a fire. To enrich oneself by taking advantage of others' misfortunes.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 雪中送炭 (xuě zhōng sòng tàn): To send charcoal in the snow. To provide necessary assistance when someone is in need.
  • 扶危济困 (fú wēi jì kùn): To help those in danger and rescue those in distress.

6. Summary

'乘人之危' is an idiom used to condemn the morally unacceptable act of taking advantage of someone's weakness. Based on traditional Chinese moral values, such acts are strongly condemned. When using this idiom, it is important to understand its strong negative connotation and to use it appropriately. Furthermore, learning it alongside similar and antonymous idioms will deepen your understanding.