📖 Meaning
Describes a person who is completely unarmed, holding no weapon of any kind. It emphasizes extreme vulnerability in a dangerous situation. The idiom is a variant of the more common 手无寸铁 (shǒu wú cùn tiě), substituting 刃 (blade) for 铁 (metal/iron).
📜 Origin Story
This idiom has no recorded classical source text. It is a variant of the well-established idiom 手无寸铁, which first appeared in Ming dynasty vernacular literature. The original 手无寸铁 uses 铁 (iron) to mean any metal weapon, while this variant uses 刃 (blade) to emphasize edged weapons specifically. Both versions convey the same core idea of being defenseless and unarmed.
💡 Example Usage
他手无寸刃，却挺身而出保护了身后的孩子。
Though completely unarmed, he stepped forward and shielded the children behind him.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 手无寸刃
- Pinyin: shǒu wú cùn rèn
- Literal Translation: hand, without, inch, blade
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4