下毒手

xiàdúshǒu

verb #25,700

Meanings

1 to strike treacherously
2 to make a murderous attack
3 to resort to vicious means

Characters

to deliver / to make (a move)

poison / vicious / cruel

hand / move / act

Examples

歹徒趁黑夜对无辜者下毒手。

Dǎitú chèn hēiyè duì wúgū zhě xià dú shǒu.

The criminal made a treacherous attack on an innocent person under cover of darkness.

他下毒手伤害了自己的同伴。

Tā xià dú shǒu shānghài le zìjǐ de tóngbàn.

He viciously attacked his own companion.

Tips

memory

下 (to make/deliver), 毒 (poison/vicious), 手 (hand) — literally 'to deliver a poisoned hand', meaning to strike with cruel, hidden intent.

Stroke Order

下 xià

毒 dú

手 shǒu