活把戏

活把戲

huóbǎxì

phrase

Meanings

1 (fig.) someone made into a plaything; a person toyed with or humiliated by others
2 a live sideshow - used of a human reduced to entertainment

HSK 7-9

他被人耍得像个活把戏，心里很不是滋味。

Tā bèi rén shuǎ de xiàng ge huóbǎxì, xīnli hěn bùshì zīwèi.

He'd been toyed with like some live sideshow, and it sat badly with him.

HSK 7-9

别把下属当活把戏来戏弄。

Bié bǎ xiàshǔ dàng huóbǎxì lái xìnòng.

Don't treat your subordinates like toys for your amusement.

usage

活 here means 'living, real' - a living 把戏 (trick/show). The image is of a person being made into a performance for others to mock.

活 huó

把 bǎ

戏 xì