黑手

hēishǒu

noun HSK 7-9 #10,191

Meanings

1 hidden hand
2 malign agent behind the scenes
3 secret manipulator

Characters

black; dark; secret

Black hand - a secret manipulator working behind the scenes.

Examples

HSK 4

警方正在追查黑手的真实身份。

Jǐngfāng zhèngzài zhuīchá hēishǒu de zhēnshí shēnfèn.

The police are tracking down the true identity of the mastermind.

HSK 7-9

他是幕后的黑手。

Tā shì mùhòu de hēishǒu.

He is the hidden hand behind the scenes.

Tips

usage

黑手 is figurative, meaning a hidden manipulator or mastermind. Common phrase: 幕后黑手 (mùhòu hēishǒu, the mastermind behind the scenes). In Taiwan, 黑手 can also mean 'mechanic' or 'manual laborer' (blue-collar worker with dirty hands).

Stroke Order

黑 hēi

手 shǒu