📖 Meaning
To take advantage of someone's misfortune or distress to loot and profit at their expense. It describes seizing the moment when others are in trouble to reap personal gain, often through predatory or opportunistic behavior.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase appears in Guo Moruo's short story 'Shangru Village' (尚儒村), a modern Chinese literary work. In the story, when soldiers arrive in the village, the wealthy seek protection by posting seals from foreign Red Cross societies, while the destitute take advantage of the chaos to loot and steal. The idiom vividly portrays the act of profiteering during times of turmoil and disorder.
💡 Example Usage
他趁火抢劫，发了一笔国难财。
He looted during the crisis and made a fortune from the national disaster.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 趁火抢劫
- Pinyin: chèn huǒ qiǎng jié
- Literal Translation: take advantage of, fire, rob, plunder
- Category: Action
- Characters: 4