1.
to exploit someone's weakness; to take advantage of a vulnerability
To take unfair advantage of another person's vulnerable position, difficult circumstances, or shortcomings for one's own benefit. Always carries a negative, morally critical connotation.
人の弱みに付け込むな。
Don't exploit other people's weaknesses.
悪徳業者は高齢者の弱みに付け込む。
Unscrupulous businesses exploit the vulnerabilities of the elderly.
相手の弱みに付け込んで交渉を有利に進めた。
He exploited the other party's weakness to steer the negotiations in his favor.
困っている人の弱みに付け込むのは卑怯だ。
It's cowardly to exploit the weakness of someone in trouble.
An idiomatic expression meaning to take unfair advantage of someone's vulnerable position. Always carries a negative connotation — it implies underhanded or morally questionable behavior.
USAGE:
The person whose weakness is being exploited is marked with の:
- 人の弱みに付け込む
- 相手の弱みに付け込む
付け込む is a godan verb (込む conjugation), so the expression conjugates at the end: 付け込んだ, 付け込まない, etc.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 人の弱みに付け込む: to exploit someone's weakness
- 相手の弱みに付け込む: to take advantage of the opponent's vulnerability
- 立場の弱みに付け込む: to exploit someone's weak position
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 足元を見る: to take advantage of someone's situation — implies sizing up someone's weakness for exploitation
- 漬け込む: to exploit (older kanji variant) — same pronunciation but different kanji; the 付け込む form is standard here
- 利用する: to take advantage of — more neutral, can be positive or negative