cheat, deceive

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components
其 sound component

  Sound component

  

its, his, (3p possessive)

欠 meaning component

  Meaning component

qiàn

  

yawn, deficient

Evolution

欺 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
欺 Clerical script Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical script

Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
欺 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
欺 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

cheat, double-cross, deceive; to take unfair advantage of; to deceive; to cheat

Most common words with 欺
Freq.
Word
Meaning

欺骗

to deceive

欺负

to bully

欺诈

to cheat

to deceive

自欺欺人

to believe one's own lies