每天成语
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唾手可得

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: tuò shǒu kě dé
  • English Translation: Within easy reach (extremely easy to obtain)
  • Idiom Composition: 「唾」（To spit (referring to the act of spitting on hands to improve grip)）＋「手」（Hand）＋「可」（Can or able to）＋「得」（To get or obtain）
  • Meaning: Literally 'to spit on one's hands and obtain it.' It describes something that is extremely easy to achieve or acquire with almost no effort, referring to the preparation gesture of spitting on one's palms to improve grip before starting a task.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「唾手可得」 contains the following nuances:

  • Emphasis on Ease: It does not just mean 'possible,' but strongly emphasizes that something can be obtained 'without any hardship' and 'immediately.'
  • Nuance of Certainty: Because the object is within arm's reach, the idiom carries a nuance of certainty, implying there is almost no chance of failure.

3. Usage

「唾手可得」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Predicting victory or success: Used in sports or competitions when the difference in skill is so vast that victory is considered a certainty.
    • Example:「凭这支球队的实力，冠军简直是唾手可得。」
      （With this team's strength, the championship is simply within easy reach.)
  • Acquiring opportunities or benefits: Used in business or daily life to describe situations where chances or profits are very easy to come by.
    • Example:「在这个信息时代，各种知识都变得唾手可得。」
      （In this information age, all kinds of knowledge have become extremely easy to obtain.)
  • Admonishment in negative forms: Often used with negative words to warn that success does not come easily.
    • Example:「巨大的成功绝不是唾手可得的，需要付出艰辛的努力。」
      （Great success is by no means easily attained; it requires arduous effort.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 只要你肯努力，这个机会就是唾手可得的。
    （As long as you are willing to work hard, this opportunity is yours for the taking.）
  2. 对于天才般的他来说，解开这道难题简直是唾手可得。
    （For a genius like him, solving this difficult problem is a piece of cake.）
  3. 不要以为幸福是唾手可得的，我们要学会珍惜。
    （Do not think that happiness is easily come by; we must learn to cherish it.）
  4. 现在的便利店随处可见，生活用品唾手可得。
    （With convenience stores everywhere now, daily necessities are readily available.）
  5. 虽然胜利看似唾手可得，但我们不能掉以轻心。
    （Although victory seems within our grasp, we must not let our guard down.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Origin: The term 唾手 (tuò shǒu) refers to the act of spitting on one's hands to increase friction and grip a tool more firmly—a common gesture of preparing for physical labor. From this, it evolved to mean something that can be achieved with just a slight movement of the hands.
  • Source: The expression appears in the annotations of the Book of the Later Han (后汉书 - Hòu Hàn Shū) and the New Book of Tang (新唐书 - Xīn Táng Shū). It was originally used in military contexts to describe the ease of capturing enemy territory or defeating an opponent.
  • Modern Nuance: In modern usage, it is applied broadly to abstract concepts such as 'success,' 'social status,' and 'information,' rather than just physical objects.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

The idiom 唾手可得 (tuò shǒu kě dé) conveys that a goal, victory, or object is so easily attainable that it requires minimal exertion. It is frequently used to emphasize the certainty of success or the accessibility of information. Conversely, it is often used in negative constructions to remind others that significant achievements are rarely **within easy reach** without hard work.

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Pre-Level 1

Idiom Essay

tuò shǒu kě dé
唾手可得
Easily Attained
wǒ men我们cháng常jué de觉得，xiǎng yào想要dé dào得到yī yàng一样dōng xī东西，tōng cháng通常xū yào需要fù chū付出hěn很zhǎng长shí jiān时间de的nǔ lì努力。

We often feel that getting something usually requires a long period of effort.

dàn但yǒu shí hòu有时候，mù biāo目标lí离wǒ men我们fēi cháng非常jìn近，jìn近dào到nǐ你gēn běn根本bù不xū yào需要bēn pǎo奔跑，shèn zhì甚至bù不xū yào需要tài太fèi lì qì费力气，zhǐ yào只要shēn chū伸出shǒu手，jiù就néng能ná拿dé dào得到。

But sometimes, the goal is so close that you don't need to run or even exert much effort; you just need to reach out to get it.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个chéng yǔ成语xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种jí dù极度róng yì容易de的zhuàng tài状态，jiào叫“tuò shǒu kě dé唾手可得”。

In Chinese, there is an idiom to describe this state of extreme ease called 唾手可得.

zhè ge这个cí词de的huà miàn画面gǎn感hěn很qiáng强，shèn zhì甚至dài带zhe着yì diǎn一点shēng huó生活de的cū cāo粗糙gǎn感。

This phrase has a strong sense of imagery, even carrying a bit of a raw, everyday feel.

“tuò shǒu唾手”，jiù shì就是wǎng往shǒu手xīn lǐ心里tǔ吐yī kǒu一口tuò mò唾沫。

唾手 means spitting into the palm of one's hand.

guò qù过去de的rén人zài在gàn huó干活、jǔ zhòng wù举重物huò zhě或者ná qǐ拿起gōng jù工具zhī qián之前，xí guàn习惯zhè yàng这样zuò做，wèi le为了zēng jiā增加mó cā lì摩擦力，hǎo好zhuā抓dé得gèng更jǐn紧。

In the past, people used to do this before working, lifting heavy objects, or picking up tools to increase friction and get a better grip.

suǒ yǐ所以，“tuò shǒu kě dé唾手可得”yuán běn原本de的yì si意思shì是：zhǐ yào只要shāo wēi稍微zuò做yì diǎn一点zhǔn bèi准备，dòng动dòng shǒu动手jiù就néng能ná dào拿到le了。

Therefore, the original meaning of 唾手可得 is that you can get it just by doing a little preparation and moving your hands.

tīng qǐ lái听起来，zhè这shì是yī jiàn一件hǎo shì好事。

It sounds like a good thing.

bǐ rú比如，yī cháng一场bǐ sài比赛，duì shǒu对手hěn很ruò弱，guàn jūn冠军sì hū似乎“tuò shǒu kě dé唾手可得”。

For example, in a competition where the opponent is weak, the championship seems 唾手可得.

huò zhě或者，yí gè一个jī huì机会jiù就zài在yǎn qián眼前，fǎng fú仿佛yǐ jīng已经fàng放zài在le了nǐ你de的kǒu dài口袋lǐ里。

Or, an opportunity is right in front of you, as if it were already in your pocket.

dàn但yǒu yì si有意思de的shì是，zài在xiàn dài现代shēng huó生活zhōng中，wǒ men我们yòng用dào到zhè ge这个cí词de的shí hòu时候，wǎng wǎng往往shì是zài在“fǒu dìng否定”tā它。

But interestingly, in modern life, when we use this phrase, we often use it in a negative sense.

wǒ men我们cháng常shuō说：“chéng gōng成功cóng lái从来bù不shì是tuò shǒu kě dé唾手可得de的。”

We often say: Success is never 唾手可得.

huò zhě或者tí xǐng提醒zì jǐ自己：“zhēn zhèng真正de的xìn rèn信任，bú shì不是tuò shǒu kě dé唾手可得de的。”

Or remind ourselves: True trust is not 唾手可得.

zhè这sì hū似乎jiē shì揭示le了yí gè一个xīn lǐ心理：nà xiē那些tài太róng yì容易dé dào得到de的dōng xī东西，wǎng wǎng往往róng yì容易bèi被wǒ men我们hū lüè忽略；ér而nà xiē那些ràng让wǒ men我们zhēn xī珍惜de的、jué de觉得zhēn guì珍贵de的，tōng cháng通常dōu都xū yào需要fān shān yuè lǐng翻山越岭cái néng才能jiàn dào见到。

This seems to reveal a psychological truth: things that are too easy to get are often easily ignored, while those we cherish and find precious usually require crossing mountains and rivers to see.

suǒ yǐ所以，“tuò shǒu kě dé唾手可得”zhè ge这个cí词，gèng更xiàng像shì是yí gè一个tí xǐng提醒。

So, the phrase 唾手可得 is more like a reminder.

tā它ràng让wǒ men我们fēn biàn分辨：shén me什么shì是yùn qì运气dài lái带来de的biàn lì便利，shén me什么cái才shì是tōng guò通过nǔ lì努力zhēn zhèng真正yíng dé赢得de的guǒ shí果实。

It lets us distinguish between what is a convenience brought by luck and what is a fruit truly won through effort.

xià cì下次，dāng当nǐ你jué de觉得yī jiàn一件shì事tài太róng yì容易de的shí hòu时候，yě xǔ也许kě yǐ可以wèn问wèn问zì jǐ自己：zhè这zhēn de真的shǔ yú属于wǒ我ma吗？

Next time you feel something is too easy, perhaps you can ask yourself: Does this really belong to me?

hái shì还是jǐn jǐn仅仅yīn wèi因为tā它tuò shǒu kě dé唾手可得？

Or is it just because it is 唾手可得?

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