得心应手
得心应手 (dé xīn yìng shǒu) literally means “heart obtains, hand responds” and expresses “work with great ease; have complete mastery”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: de xin ying shou, de xin ying shou,得心应手 meaning, 得心应手 in english
Work with great ease; have complete mastery
Pronunciation: dé xīn yìng shǒu Literal meaning: Heart obtains, hand responds
Origin & Usage
The Zhuangzi's wheelwright says of his craft that he gets it in the hand and answers to it in the heart — 得之于手而应于心 — and that this is exactly what he cannot explain to his son. The idiom reverses the order, obtaining (得) in the heart (心) and answering (应) in the hand (手), which puts the intention first and makes it a claim about control. Tools, instruments and languages, and what it describes is the point at which the thing stops being operated and starts being used.
Examples
English: "The artist's brush moved exactly as she imagined."
Chinese: 艺术家运笔得心应手。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about wisdom & learning
唾手可得
tuò shǒu kě dé
Easily attainable
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入乡随俗
rù xiāng suí sú
Adopt the customs of where you are
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鬼斧神工
guǐ fǔ shén gōng
Supernatural craftsmanship
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明镜止水
míng jìng zhǐ shuǐ
Clear and calm mind
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吉祥止止
jí xiáng zhǐ zhǐ
Blessings settle where the mind is calm
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井底之蛙
jǐng dǐ zhī wā
Narrow-minded from limited experience
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东施效颦
dōng shī xiào pín
Failed imitation lacking understanding
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庖丁解牛
páo dīng jiě niú
Effortless skill through perfect practice
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 得心应手 mean in English?
得心应手 (dé xīn yìng shǒu) literally translates to “Heart obtains, hand responds” and is used to express “Work with great ease; have complete mastery”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 得心应手 used?
Situation: The artist's brush moved exactly as she imagined.
What is the pinyin for 得心应手?
The pinyin pronunciation for 得心应手 is “dé xīn yìng shǒu”.