恩威兼施 ēn wēi jiān shī

to employ both kindness and severity (idiom)

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. to employ both kindness and severity (idiom)

Characters

Character Meaning
恩 ēn HSK 6
variant of 恩ēn; kindness; favor
威 wēi HSK 5
power; might; prestige
兼 jiān HSK 5
holding two or more (official) posts at the same time
施 shī HSK 5
to carry out; to give; to grant