腳踏兩條船 jiǎo tà liǎng tiáo chuán

(especially) to have two lovers at the same time

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. (especially) to have two lovers at the same time
  2. 2. fig. to have it both ways
  3. 3. to run after two hares
  4. 4. lit. to stand with each foot in a different boat (idiom)

Characters

Character Meaning
腳 jiǎo
foot; leg (of an animal or an object); base (of an object)
踏 tà HSK 6
to step on; to tread; to stamp
兩 liǎng
two; both; some
條 tiáo
measure word for long thin things; strip; clause
船 chuán HSK 3
boat; ship; vessel