骗子 (piàn zi) is a compound noun meaning 'fraudster' or 'con artist' — someone who deliberately deceives others for personal gain, often money or information. The first character 骗 (piàn) means 'to cheat' or 'to swindle', carrying strong negative connotations of intentional dishonesty. The second character 子 (zi) is a common nominal suffix that turns the verb into a person who performs the action — literally 'a cheater'. Together, they form a colloquial yet widely understood term used in both spoken and written Chinese.

This word appears frequently in news reports about scams, online safety warnings, and everyday conversations warning others about suspicious behavior. It’s stronger and more judgmental than neutral terms like ‘salesperson’ or ‘agent’, implying moral failure and criminal intent. While not formal or literary, it’s appropriate in most conversational and semi-formal contexts when discussing deception.