📖 Meaning
To handle affairs according to actual circumstances at one's own discretion, without first seeking approval from superiors. It implies being granted the authority to make decisions on the spot when the situation demands prompt action. The phrase emphasizes practical flexibility within a delegated mandate.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the 'Records of the Grand Historian' (史记·萧相国世家) by Sima Qian, concerning Xiao He, the chancellor who helped found the Han dynasty. During the Chu-Han contention, Xiao He governed the Guanzhong region and, when urgent matters arose that could not wait for imperial approval, he would act as he saw fit and report to Emperor Gaozu (Liu Bang) afterward. Liu Bang not only accepted this practice but trusted Xiao He for his discretion, cementing the idiom's meaning of acting on one's own authority in times of necessity.
💡 Example Usage
既然大权已交付于你，遇到紧急情况便可便宜行事，不必事事请示。
Since full authority has been entrusted to you, you may act at your own discretion in emergencies without reporting every matter.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 便宜行事
- Pinyin: biàn yì xíng shì
- Literal Translation: convenient, handle, affairs
- Category: Leadership
- Characters: 4