Definition
捡便宜 is a colloquial verb meaning 'to get a bargain' or 'to take advantage of a situation for personal gain'. It's a separable verb (离合词): the object 便宜 can be separated from 捡, e.g. 捡了个大便宜 ('scored a big deal'). You can also use it negatively to mean 'to benefit from someone else's effort without contributing' (占便宜 overlaps but is more about taking unfair advantage). It often appears in casual speech.
v
to get a bargainto score a good dealto take advantage of a situation (often for unearned benefit)
Examples
- ，，捡便宜。Zhè jiàn yīfu yuánjià yìqiān, xiànzài zhǐ yào liǎng bǎi, zhēnshi jiǎn biàn le.This piece of clothing was originally a thousand yuan, now only two hundred — what a bargain.
- ，。Tā shénme yě méi zuò, jiù jiǎn le ge dà biànyi.He didn't do anything and just got a big unearned advantage.
- 捡便宜，。Bié zǒng xiǎngzhe jiǎn biàn, tāshi gōngzuò cái shì zhèngdào.Don't always think about getting something for nothing; steady work is the right path.
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