Direct Answer
Prey on sb means to hunt, attack, or take advantage of someone, usually in a harmful way. It is often used to describe animals or people who exploit others.
Kotak Info Cepat
- Frasa kerja: Memangsa seseorang (sb)
- Tipe: Transitif (memerlukan objek)
- Tingkat: B2
- Makna singkat: Memburu atau memanfaatkan seseorang
Meaning in Detail
The prey on sb meaning involves taking advantage of or causing harm to someone. This can be literal, like an animal hunting its prey, or figurative, such as a person exploiting another’s weakness. It often has a negative sense, implying unfair or cruel behavior.
For example, criminals may prey on vulnerable people, meaning they take advantage of them to commit crimes.
Struktur (Aturan Tata Bahasa)
Prey on sb adalah phrasal verb yang tidak dapat dipisahkan, yang berarti Anda tidak dapat memisahkan “prey” dan “on” dengan menempatkan objek di antaranya.
- Correct: They prey on the weak. (Mereka memangsa yang lemah.)
- Incorrect: They prey the weak on. (Salah: Mereka memangsa yang lemah.)
Ini mengikuti pola ini:
-
Prey + on + somebody/something
Contoh-contoh
Berikut beberapa contoh kalimat dengan frasa Prey on sb:
- Owls prey on small rodents at night. (Burung hantu memangsa hewan pengerat kecil pada malam hari.)
- Scammers often prey on elderly people. (Penipu sering memanfaatkan orang tua.)
- In the wild, lions prey on zebras. (Di alam liar, singa memangsa zebra.)
- Some companies prey on customers’ lack of knowledge. (Beberapa perusahaan memanfaatkan ketidaktahuan pelanggan.)
- Fear can prey on your mind and make you anxious. (Ketakutan bisa menguasai pikiranmu dan membuatmu cemas.)
Kesalahan Umum
- Incorrect: They prey the poor people on.
- Correct: They prey on poor people.
- Incorrect: The tiger preys a deer.
- Correct: The tiger preys on a deer.
Perbedaan / Sinonim
Frasa kerja serupa termasuk take advantage of dan feed on. Namun, prey on sb secara khusus mengandung makna merugikan atau mengeksploitasi, sering kali dalam hubungan predator dan mangsa.
- Take advantage of:: Bisa netral atau negatif, berarti memanfaatkan situasi atau orang untuk keuntungan.
- Feed on:: Lebih harfiah, berarti makan atau mengonsumsi.
- Prey on sb:: Selalu negatif, berarti berburu atau mengeksploitasi.
Kolokasi Umum
- Prey on the weak (Memangsa yang lemah)
- Prey on the vulnerable (Memangsa yang rentan)
- Prey on fear (Memanfaatkan ketakutan)
- Prey on ignorance (Memanfaatkan ketidaktahuan)
- Prey on animals (Memangsa hewan)
Kata Kerja Frasa Terkait
Berikut adalah kata kerja frasa terkait dari prey on sb:
Dialog Kehidupan Nyata
Anna: Did you hear about those scammers?
Anna: Apakah kamu sudah mendengar tentang para penipu itu?
Ben: Yes, they prey on elderly people who don’t know much about technology.
Ben: Ya, mereka memanfaatkan orang tua yang tidak begitu paham tentang teknologi.
Anna: That’s terrible. People should be more careful.
Anna: Itu mengerikan. Orang-orang seharusnya lebih berhati-hati.
Latihan
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of prey on:
- Some animals _______ small insects for food.
- Fraudsters often _______ people who are lonely.
- Fear can _______ your thoughts and make you worried.
Pertanyaan yang Sering Diajukan
What does “prey on sb” mean?
It means to hunt or take advantage of someone, usually in a harmful way.
Is “prey on sb” separable?
No, you cannot separate “prey” and “on” by placing the object in between.
Can “prey on sb” be used for people?
Yes, it is often used to describe people exploiting others.
What is a synonym for “prey on sb”?
“Take advantage of” is a common synonym but may have a less negative meaning.
Can “prey on sb” be used in positive sentences?
No, it usually has a negative or harmful meaning.
