指手劃腳 zhǐ shǒu huà jiǎo

to criticize or give orders summarily

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. to criticize or give orders summarily
  2. 2. to gesticulate while talking (idiom); to explain by waving one's hands
  3. 3. also written 指手畫腳zhǐ shǒu huà jiǎo

Characters

Character Meaning
指 zhǐ HSK 4
to point at or to; to indicate or refer to; finger
手 shǒu HSK 2
hand; personal(ly); person engaged in certain types of work
劃 huà
worth (the effort); it pays (to do sth); profitable
腳 jiǎo
foot; leg (of an animal or an object); base (of an object)