(chèn) - to take advantage of, while, whilst in Mandarin
chènTraditional: 趁
Translation
to take advantage of, while, whilst
Word origin
Phono-semantic: 走 (zǒu, to walk or run) with 㐱 (zhěn, phonetic). The early sense was to chase or follow, which shifted to catching a moment while it lasts.
- Origin
- phono-semantic compound
- Root
- 走 (zǒu, to run) + 㐱 (zhěn, phonetic)
Stroke order
趁
Examples
，。
Let us get going while it is still light.
。
Eat it while it is hot.
。
He went into the room while I was out.
，。
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone.
。
Get out and see things while you are young.
趁 (chèn) means while the conditions still hold, and there is always a note of seizing the moment before it passes. 趁热吃 is not a neutral statement about temperature; it means get it down you before it goes cold.
It opens the clause: 趁 plus the condition, then the main clause. 趁没人, 趁现在, 趁他还没走. The set phrase 趁机 means to seize the chance, and 趁早 means to do it sooner rather than later.
The trap is 当. 当他回来的时候 simply marks when something happened, with no urgency attached. 趁 always carries the opportunism. Use it for a neutral time clause and you make the speaker sound like they are working an angle.
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趁: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "趁" (to take advantage of, while, whilst): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 55.