Word information
Simplified指手画脚
Traditional指手畫腳
Pinyinzhǐshǒu-huàjiǎo
Part of speechGeneral
HSK 3.07-9
HSK 2.0Not listed
Chinese word dictionary
指手画脚
zhǐshǒu-huàjiǎo · to gesticulate while talking (idiom); to explain by waving one's hands; to criticize or give orders summarily
Character breakdown
Study each Hanzi separately, then return to the complete word so pronunciation, meaning, and movement stay connected.
How to learn 指手画脚
Listen once without reading, repeat the pinyin with its tones, then write every character in sequence. Finally, recall the complete meaning instead of memorizing each character as an isolated translation.
When the word appears in a sentence, check whether its part of speech and meaning match the definition shown here. Chinese words can change nuance with context.
Related vocabulary
Words with the same characters
Compare how a familiar Hanzi changes meaning inside another word.
手机shǒujī
cell phone; mobile phone; CL:部[bu4],臺|台[tai2]
画huàto draw; to paint; picture; painting (CL:幅[fu2],張|张[zhang1]); to draw (a line) (variant of 劃|划[hua4]); stroke of a Chinese character (variant of 劃|划[hua4]); (calligraphy) horizontal stroke (variant of 劃|划[hua4])
手shǒuhand; (formal) to hold; person engaged in certain types of work; person skilled in certain types of work; personal(ly); convenient; classifier for skill; CL:雙|双[shuang1],隻|只[zhi1]
手表shǒubiǎowristwatch; CL:塊|块[kuai4],隻|只[zhi1],個|个[ge4]
洗手间xǐshǒujiāntoilet; lavatory; washroom
画家huàjiāpainter; CL:個|个[ge4]