DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

撿漏

简捡漏 · 繁撿漏

Mandarin · pinyin jiǎn lòu

to repair a leaky roof
(dialect) to find fault; to nitpick
(slang) to score a bargain (esp. when the seller is unaware of the item's true value)
(slang) to take advantage of an unexpected opportunity

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Characters in this entry

撿: Look up this written character
漏: lòu · leak, drip; funnel; hour glass
捡: jiǎn · to pick up

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

3–4 · jian3 lou4

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 2 senses

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

verb

(literally) to repair a leaky roof
(figuratively) to buy an undervalued item; to score a steal

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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