袖手旁观

袖手旁觀
xiùshǒupángguān
idiom HSK 7 #7,382

Meanings

  1. 1 to stand by with folded arms
  2. 2 to look on without lifting a finger; to be a bystander

Characters

Literally 'tuck hands in sleeves and watch from the side' — the image of someone deliberately keeping their hands hidden in their sleeves while others struggle.

Examples

Péngyou yǒu nàn, nǐ zěnme néng xiùshǒupángguān?
When a friend is in trouble, how can you just stand by and watch?
Wǒ bù néng xiùshǒupángguān, bìxū bāngmáng.
I can't just stand by; I have to help.
Miànduì bù gōngzhèng de shì, bù yīnggāi xiùshǒupángguān.
In the face of injustice, one shouldn't be a bystander.

Tips

history
This idiom dates back to the Song dynasty. In ancient Chinese clothing, wide sleeves could easily conceal tucked-in hands — a posture of deliberate inaction.

Stroke Order

xiù
shǒu
páng
guān