Level 5 · Advanced
While the window's open: 趁
趁（着）+ Favorable Situation，+ Action · Traditional: 趁（著）+ Favorable Situation，+ Action
趁 (chèn) means seizing a window of opportunity before it closes: 趁热吃吧 "eat it while it's hot." What follows 趁 is a situation — hot food, an absent boss, being young — that won't last.
That's the key: 趁 needs a condition with an expiration date, not a bare time word. 趁着 works the same with a slightly more relaxed feel, and 趁机 means "to seize the chance" when the opportunity itself is the point.
Examples
趁热吃吧，凉了就不好吃了。
趁熱吃吧，涼了就不好吃了。
chèn rè chī ba liáng le jiù bù hǎo chī le
Eat it while it's hot — it won't taste as good cold.
趁老板不在，他偷偷出去买了杯咖啡。
趁老闆不在，他偷偷出去買了杯咖啡。
chèn lǎo bǎn bù zài tā tōu tōu chū qù mǎi le bēi kā fēi
While the boss was away, he snuck out for a coffee.
趁着周末，我们去了一趟海边。
趁著週末，我們去了一趟海邊。
chèn zhe zhōu mò wǒ men qù le yī tàng hǎi biān
We took advantage of the weekend to make a trip to the seaside.
趁年轻，多出去看看世界。
趁年輕，多出去看看世界。
chèn nián qīng duō chū qù kàn kan shì jiè
While you're young, go out and see the world.
Common mistakes
✗ 趁明天，我们去公园吧。
✓ 趁明天天气好，我们去公园吧。
趁 takes a favorable situation, not a bare time word — say what makes the moment worth seizing.
Related grammar points
See it in a story
Read this pattern in context: Chang'e Flies to the Moon · The Cat in Boots — free graded stories with tap-to-reveal pinyin and translations.
