橫征暴斂 héng zhēng bào liǎn

to extort heavy taxes; cruelly exploit people

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. to tax by force and extort levies (idiom); to screw taxes out of the people by force

Characters

Character Meaning
橫 héng
horizontal; across; crosswise
征 zhēng HSK 5
to levy (taxes); to recruit; to draft (troops)
暴 bào HSK 6
violent; sudden; cruel
斂 liǎn
to collect; to restrain; to hold back