拉后腿 (lāhòutuǐ): to hold someone back

Meanings

1 to hold someone back
2 to be a drag on someone
3 to hinder (using personal ties or feelings)

Characters

拉

Examples

你别拉他后腿，让他放手去干。

Nǐ bié lā tā hòutuǐ, ràng tā fàngshǒu qù gàn.

Don't hold him back. Let him get on with it.

我不想拉你后腿，你自己做决定吧。

Wǒ bù xiǎng lā nǐ hòutuǐ, nǐ zìjǐ zuò juédìng ba.

I don't want to hold you back. You make your own decision.

家里人总拉他后腿，不让他去外地工作。

Jiālǐrén zǒng lā tā hòutuǐ, bù ràng tā qù wàidì gōngzuò.

His family keeps holding him back, refusing to let him work out of town.

Tips

usage

Also said 扯后腿 (chěhòutuǐ). Implies the hindrance comes from close ties (family, partner) rather than open opposition.

Stroke Order

拉 lā

后 hòu

腿 tuǐ

Related Words

后腿 hòutuǐ #9,227

hind leg / back leg

背后 bèihòu HSK 3 #2,171

behind; at the back / behind someone's back; in secret

后背 hòubèi #6,278

back (of the body) / behind one's back

拉 lā HSK 2 #419

to pull / to drag

后门 hòumén #4,259

back door / backdoor (connections; under-the-table dealings)

身后 shēnhòu #3,852

behind one's back / behind someone / after one's death

后退 hòutuì HSK 7 #3,719

to retreat; to step back; to move backward

退后 tuìhòu #2,291

to step back / to retreat / to move backward

后面 hòumian HSK 3 #701

behind / at the back / later

后 hòu HSK 1 #189

after / behind / back / later