逐客令

zhúkèlìng

idiom #40,633

Meanings

1 order to expel guests
2 the bum's rush
3 a signal that a visitor should leave

Characters

drive away, expel

Examples

他看了看表，明显是在下逐客令。

Tā kànle kàn biǎo, míngxiǎn shì zài xià zhúkèlìng.

He kept checking his watch — clearly hinting it was time to leave.

主人一直打哈欠，我们只好识趣地告辞，免得等他下逐客令。

Zhǔrén yīzhí dǎ hāqian, wǒmen zhǐhǎo shíqù de gàocí, miǎnde děng tā xià zhúkèlìng.

Our host kept yawning, so we took the hint and left rather than wait to be shown the door.

老板一句“我还有事”，等于下了逐客令。

Lǎobǎn yí jù “wǒ hái yǒu shì”, děngyú xiàle zhúkèlìng.

The boss's 'I've got things to do' was basically a dismissal.

Tips

history

Originally the decree by Qin Shi Huang expelling foreign advisers from the Qin court — Li Si's famous 《谏逐客书》 argued against it. The phrase later generalized to any host's signal that a guest should leave.

Stroke Order

逐 zhú

客 kè

令 lìng