skill; trick; single-handedly
Meanings
3 senses · 10 examplesnoun
a skill; a craft; a special ability
neutralOften used in the pattern '留一手' (lìu yī shǒu), meaning to hold back a secret skill or not to teach everything.
He has a special trick for repairing cars, but he always holds back a little and won't teach everything.
The old master's special skill is a family heirloom.
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When learning something, you can't always rely on others; you have to practice a few skills yourself.
noun
a trick; a crafty move; an underhanded method
informalUsed to refer to a cunning or deceitful tactic, often with a negative connotation. Frequently appears as '来这手' or '耍一手'.
You can't pull this trick on me; it's too dishonest.
He's polite on the surface, but behind the scenes he's always pulling these kinds of tricks.
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This trick was played quite cleverly; it almost fooled everyone.
adverb
single-handedly; all by oneself
neutralUsed to emphasize that something was done by one person alone, often implying skill or control. Typically modifies verbs.
This project was created single-handedly by him.
She handled all of the child's affairs single-handedly.
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He founded this company all by himself.
The entire plan was masterminded single-handedly by the manager.