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.

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