overcharge; fleece; extort
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to overcharge; to fleece; to extort money by taking advantage of someone's weakness or situation
informalA colloquial idiom originally referring to extorting money by tapping bamboo poles (supposedly to check for hidden opium). Now widely used in commercial contexts where sellers exploit buyers' ignorance, urgent needs, or vulnerable positions to charge exorbitant prices.
Nà那
gè个
shāng商
rén人
kàn看
chū出
wǒ我
shì是
wài外
dì地
lái来
de的
，
jiù就
xiǎng想
qiāo敲
zhú竹
gàng杠
。
The merchant saw I was from out of town and tried to overcharge me.
Yǒu有
xiē些
chū出
zū租
chē车
sī司
jī机
kàn看
dào到
yóu游
kè客
jiù就
huì会
qiāo敲
zhú竹
gàng杠
。
Some taxi drivers fleece tourists when they see them.
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Bié别
bèi被
nà那
gè个
zhōng中
jiè介
qiāo敲
zhú竹
gàng杠
le了
，
zhè这
tào套
fáng房
zi子
zū租
jīn金
méi没
nà那
me么
gāo高
。
Don't let that agent rip you off—the rent for this apartment isn't that high.
Xiū修
chē车
pù铺
lǎo老
bǎn板
jīng经
cháng常
jiè借
jī机
qiāo敲
zhú竹
gàng杠
，
huàn换
gè个
líng零
jiàn件
yào要
shōu收
hǎo好
jǐ几
qiān千
。
The garage owner often uses excuses to fleece customers, charging thousands just to replace a part.