长袖善舞

長袖善舞

chángxiùshànwǔ

idiom

Meanings

1 skilled at social maneuvering
2 good at working the room
3 lit. long sleeves are good for dancing

Characters

Examples

他在商界长袖善舞，人脉很广。

Tā zài shāngjiè cháng xiù shàn wǔ, rénmài hěn guǎng.

He works the business world skillfully and has a wide network.

长袖善舞的人未必有真才实学。

Cháng xiù shàn wǔ de rén wèibì yǒu zhēn cái shí xué.

Smooth social operators don't necessarily have real substance.

她长袖善舞，很快打开了外交局面。

Tā cháng xiù shàn wǔ, hěn kuài dǎkāi le wàijiāo júmiàn.

She was adept at diplomatic maneuvering and quickly opened up new relationships.

Tips

history

From 《韩非子·五蠹》: '长袖善舞，多钱善贾' — 'long sleeves help you dance, plenty of money helps you trade.' Originally described having resources to work with; modern usage emphasizes personal networking and social skill, sometimes with a hint of opportunism.

register

Can be complimentary (deft networker) or slightly pejorative (operator, schmoozer). Context decides.

Stroke Order

长 cháng

袖 xiù

善 shàn

舞 wǔ