📖 Meaning
To operate or control something with complete ease and proficiency, as if it were second nature. It describes a state where one can maneuver or manage an object, vehicle, or situation effortlessly without any hindrance or difficulty.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Ming dynasty work 'Xian Bo Zhi Shi' (《先拨志始》) by Wen Bing (文秉). The text records that the powerful eunuch Wei Zhongxian (魏忠贤) and his faction were able to 'manipulate affairs at will' (操纵如意), reflecting how they controlled the imperial court with unchecked ease. The phrase later evolved into '操纵自如', broadening its meaning to encompass any skilled and effortless handling of tools, vehicles, or situations beyond the original political context.
💡 Example Usage
他操纵自如地驾驶着汽车，在蜿蜒山路上飞驰。
He drove the car with effortless control, speeding along the winding mountain road.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 操纵自如
- Pinyin: cāo zòng zì rú
- Literal Translation: handle, control, freely, smoothly
- Category: Skill
- Characters: 4