手里

手裡

shǒulǐ

noun HSK 4 #1,705

Meanings

1 in one's hands
2 in one's possession

Characters

Literally "inside the hand" — what one is holding or possessing.

Examples

他手里拿着一本书。

Tā shǒulǐ ná zhe yī běn shū.

He is holding a book in his hand.

钥匙在你手里吗？

Yàoshi zài nǐ shǒulǐ ma?

Do you have the keys?

权力掌握在人民手里。

Quánlì zhǎngwò zài rénmín shǒulǐ.

Power is in the hands of the people.

Tips

grammar

手里 functions as a location word. Pattern: 在…手里 means "in someone's hands/possession."

Stroke Order

手 shǒu

里 lǐ