比手画脚

比手畫腳
bǐshǒuhuàjiǎo
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 to gesticulate
  2. 2 to wave one's hands and feet around while talking

Examples

Tā bú huì shuō Yīngwén, zhǐ néng bǐshǒuhuàjiǎo hé wàiguórén gōutōng.
He doesn't speak English, so he can only communicate with foreigners by gesticulating.
Tā jiǎng gùshì de shíhou zǒngshì bǐshǒuhuàjiǎo, tèbié shēngdòng.
When she tells stories, she gestures vigorously — really animated.

Tips

mistakes
Also written — both forms are accepted. Don't confuse with 指手画脚 (zhǐshǒuhuàjiǎo), which carries a critical tone of 'bossing others around with gestures'.

Stroke Order

shǒu
huà
jiǎo