at the mercy of others; under someone's thumb
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to be completely under someone else's control; to have no freedom of action
formalLiterally means 'to look up or down as dictated by others.' It expresses a situation of total subordination or dependency.
Shī失
qù去
jīng经
jì济
dú独
lì立
hòu后
，
tā他
zhǐ只
néng能
fǔ俯
yǎng仰
yóu由
rén人
，
háo毫
wú无
zūn尊
yán严
。
After losing financial independence, he was completely at the mercy of others and had no dignity.
Wǒ我
bù不
yuàn愿
zài在
zhè这
zhǒng种
fǔ俯
yǎng仰
yóu由
rén人
de的
huán环
jìng境
zhōng中
gōng工
zuò作
。
I don't want to work in an environment where I'm completely under someone's thumb.
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Fēng封
jiàn建
shí时
dài代
de的
fù妇
nǚ女
dì地
wèi位
dī低
xià下
，
cháng常
cháng常
fǔ俯
yǎng仰
yóu由
rén人
。
Women in feudal times had low status and were often completely controlled by others.