摩拳擦掌

móquán-cāzhǎng

idiom #35,645

Meanings

1 to rub one's fists and wipe one's palms
2 to roll up one's sleeves, eager for action
3 raring to go

Characters

Examples

比赛前，选手们个个摩拳擦掌。

Bǐsài qián, xuǎnshǒu men gègè móquáncāzhǎng.

Before the match, every competitor was raring to go.

新项目启动了，团队成员摩拳擦掌，准备大干一场。

Xīn xiàngmù qǐdòng le, tuánduì chéngyuán móquáncāzhǎng, zhǔnbèi dàgàn yīchǎng.

With the new project launched, the team members rolled up their sleeves, ready to go at it.

Tips

history

From the Yuan drama 《李逵负荆》: '摩拳擦掌，行行里按不住莽撞心头气' — rubbing fists and hands, unable to rein in the restless rage inside. Originally describing the martial impatience of the outlaw hero Li Kui before a fight.

Stroke Order

摩 mó

拳 quán

擦 cā

掌 zhǎng