骗子
piàn zi · HSK 5
swindler
🎭 骗 = cheat/deceive + 子 = noun suffix (person)
骗 (piàn) means to deceive or swindle; 子 (zi) is a common noun suffix marking a person or thing. Together 骗子 literally reads as deceive-person, i.e. a swindler or con artist.
骗 — horse radical 馬 + flat 扁 (phonetic)
A semantic-phonetic compound. The horse radical 馬 hints at the original sense of mounting a horse sideways or leaping onto it deceptively, while 扁 supplies the sound. Over time the meaning shifted from this sneaky riding motion to the broader sense of 'cheat' or 'deceive'.
子 — pictograph of a baby/child with arms out
子 began as a pictograph of a swaddled infant with a large head and outstretched arms, originally meaning 'baby' or 'child.' From there it broadened to 'son,' 'offspring,' and a respectful suffix for masters like 孔子 (Confucius). It also became one of the twelve earthly branches.