turn one's elbow outward; side with outsiders
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to side with outsiders over one's own people; to betray one's own group
informalUsed to criticize disloyalty or lack of solidarity within a family, group, or team. The variant '胳膊肘儿向外拐' is also common. The literal meaning is 'the elbow bends outward' (instead of inward toward the body).
Nǐ你
zěn怎
me么
zǒng总
bāng帮
wài外
rén人
shuō说
huà话
，
zhēn真
shì是
gē胳
bo膊
zhǒu肘
cháo朝
wài外
guǎi拐
。
Why do you always speak up for outsiders? You're really siding with them over us.
Zuò作
wéi为
jīng经
lǐ理
，
tā他
bǎ把
zhòng重
yào要
xiàng项
mù目
gěi给
le了
jìng竞
zhēng争
duì对
shǒu手
，
zhè这
jiù就
shì是
gē胳
bo膊
zhǒu肘
xiàng向
wài外
guǎi拐
。
As the manager, giving the important project to a competitor is like turning his elbow outward.
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Zhè这
hái孩
zi子
，
zǒng总
shì是
gē胳
bo膊
zhǒu肘
r儿
cháo朝
wài外
guǎi拐
，
bǎ把
jiā家
lǐ里
de的
hǎo好
dōng东
xī西
dōu都
ná拿
qù去
gěi给
tóng同
xué学
。
This kid always sides with outsiders, taking all the good things from home to give to his classmates.