📖 Meaning
To be careless and clumsy in one's actions; to do things in a rushed, rough, and unrefined manner. It describes someone who lacks attention to detail and handles tasks sloppily.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Ming dynasty anonymous play 'Qi Tian Da Sheng' (齐天大圣), where a character laments being born with a sharp mouth, squinting eyes, and hairy hands and feet. The expression originally described an ungainly physical appearance but evolved to denote carelessness in behavior. It appears in Qing dynasty works such as Shi Yukun's 'San Xia Wu Yi' (三侠五义), where it characterizes workers who are too clumsy to be hired.
💡 Example Usage
他干活总是毛手毛脚的，连个杯子都拿不稳。
He always works so carelessly and clumsily that he can't even hold a cup steady.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 毛手毛脚
- Pinyin: máo shǒu máo jiǎo
- Literal Translation: hairy, hand, hairy, foot
- Category: Action
- Characters: 4