长袖善舞
长袖善舞 (cháng xiù shàn wǔ) literally means “long sleeves make for good dancing” and expresses “skilled maneuvering”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: chang xiu shan wu, chang xiu shan wu,长袖善舞 meaning, 长袖善舞 in english
Skilled maneuvering
Pronunciation: cháng xiù shàn wǔ Literal meaning: Long sleeves make for good dancing
Origin & Usage
Han Feizi's pairing is blunter than the idiom that came out of it: long sleeves (长袖) make for good dancing (善舞), plenty of money makes for good trading. His point was about advantage, not skill — the dancer looks better because of the costume. Modern usage has quietly shifted the credit to the person, and 长袖善舞 now describes someone adept at working a room, an institution or a political system. It is rarely quite a compliment, and the original observation about resources is worth keeping in mind.
Examples
English: "Her charm and grace allowed her to navigate the corporate world with ease."
Chinese: 她的魅力和优雅使她在商界长袖善舞。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about strategy & action
混水摸鱼
hún shuǐ mō yú
Exploit chaos
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火中取栗
huǒ zhōng qǔ lì
Used by others
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将计就计
jiāng jì jiù jì
Turn the enemy's own plot against him
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锦囊妙计
jǐn náng miào jì
Prepared clever strategy
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里应外合
lǐ yìng wài hé
An inside accomplice working with an outside force
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纵横捭阖
zòng héng bǎi hé
Strategic maneuvering
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坐收渔利
zuò shōu yú lì
Benefit from others' conflict
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城下之盟
chéng xià zhī méng
Forced agreement
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 长袖善舞 mean in English?
长袖善舞 (cháng xiù shàn wǔ) literally translates to “Long sleeves make for good dancing” and is used to express “Skilled maneuvering”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 长袖善舞 used?
Situation: Her charm and grace allowed her to navigate the corporate world with ease.
What is the pinyin for 长袖善舞?
The pinyin pronunciation for 长袖善舞 is “cháng xiù shàn wǔ”.