一手遮天
一手遮天 (yī shǒu zhē tiān) literally means “hide the sky with one hand” and expresses “abuse power to hoodwink everyone”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: yi shou zhe tian, yi shou zhe tian,一手遮天 meaning, 一手遮天 in english
Abuse power to hoodwink everyone
Pronunciation: yī shǒu zhē tiān Literal meaning: Hide the sky with one hand
Origin & Usage
One (一) hand (手) covering (遮) the sky (天). The image contains its own refutation, and classical uses of it say so — no hand is large enough, and the attempt is visible to everyone not standing directly behind it. That is what makes the phrase an accusation rather than a description of success. Officials who control the local information supply, and anyone whose position lets them decide what the people above them get to hear.
Examples
English: "He tried to control everything, but his efforts were futile."
Chinese: 他一手遮天，结果却是徒劳无功。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
束手无策
shù shǒu wú cè
Completely helpless without options
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爱不释手
ài bù shì shǒu
Cherish something too much to put it down
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手足无措
shǒu zú wú cuò
At a loss; flustered
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唾手可得
tuò shǒu kě dé
Easily attainable
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海阔天空
hǎi kuò tiān kōng
Unbounded scope; or talk that rambles everywhere
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杞人忧天
qǐ rén yōu tiān
Worry needlessly about impossible disasters
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别有洞天
bié yǒu dòng tiān
A hidden paradise; unexpected inner beauty
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天下无难事
tiān xià wú nán shì
Perseverance conquers all
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 一手遮天 mean in English?
一手遮天 (yī shǒu zhē tiān) literally translates to “Hide the sky with one hand” and is used to express “Abuse power to hoodwink everyone”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 一手遮天 used?
Situation: He tried to control everything, but his efforts were futile.
What is the pinyin for 一手遮天?
The pinyin pronunciation for 一手遮天 is “yī shǒu zhē tiān”.