任人摆布 (rèn rén bǎi bù) — to allow oneself to be pushed around; to be at someone's mercy

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'to let others push you around / be at someone's mercy' — a passive, weak position where you follow others' will entirely. Read as a verb phrase; 任人 = 'let people', 摆布 = 'arrange / manipulate'.

verb
to allow oneself to be pushed aroundto be at someone's mercy

Examples

  • 任人摆布。
    Tā bù xiǎng zài rèn rén bǎi bù le.
    He doesn't want to be pushed around anymore.
  • ，任人摆布，。
    Zài shì yè shàng, tā zǒng shì rèn rén bǎi bù, quē fá zhǔ jiàn.
    In her career, she always lets others order her around, lacking independent opinions.
  • 任人摆布，。
    Rú guǒ nǐ zǒng shì rèn rén bǎi bù, bié rén huì yuè lái yuè bù zūn zhòng nǐ.
    If you always let others push you around, people will respect you less and less.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
壬
壬rén任rèn
Same sound today

任 pairs 亻, a person, with 壬, which may picture a shoulder pole turned sideways.

Open 任 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Open 人 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 擺; 摆 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
罷
罷bà擺bǎi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 擺 has 手 (hand) with 罷 giving the sound bà; the simplified 摆 is a later shorthand, not the original shape.

Open 摆 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
巾巾jīnkerchief
Sound part声符shēngfú
父
父fù布bù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

布 pairs 巾, a kerchief, with 父 as a sound part.

Open 布 →

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