📖 Meaning
To show mercy or leniency when taking action against someone. It means to hold back and not be too harsh or ruthless in dealing with a matter or a person. Often used as a plea to ask someone to be less severe.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom appears in the novel 《庚子风云》 (Tales of the Gengzi Year), which depicts events surrounding the Boxer Uprising at the turn of the 20th century. In the story, the character Zhao Sanduo repeatedly has the opportunity to strike down his rival Wang Chengde at critical moments, yet each time he holds back and lets him go. The phrase captures the idea of showing restraint and mercy when one has the power to be ruthless, and has since become a common expression urging leniency.
💡 Example Usage
这场比赛只是友谊赛，希望大家手下留情，别太较真。
This is just a friendly match, so I hope everyone will show some mercy and not take it too seriously.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 手下留情
- Pinyin: shǒu xià liú qíng
- Literal Translation: hand, under, leave, mercy
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4