软硬兼施 (ruǎn yìng jiān shī) — to use both the carrot and the stick; to combine gentle and tough tactics

Definition

A four-character idiom (成语) meaning to use both gentle and forceful tactics at the same time — 'carrot and stick'. Common in writing about negotiations, diplomacy, or persuasion.

idiom
to use both the carrot and the stickto combine gentle and tough tactics

Examples

  • ，软硬兼施，。
    Tán pàn zhōng, tā men ruǎn yìng jiān shī, zhōng yú ràng duì fāng tóng yì le tiáo jiàn.
    During the negotiations, they used both carrot and stick and finally made the other side agree to the terms.
  • ，软硬兼施，。
    Miàn duì kàng yì, zhèng fǔ ruǎn yìng jiān shī, jì ān fǔ yòu shī yā.
    Facing the protests, the government used both carrot and stick — both appeasing and applying pressure.
  • 软硬兼施，。
    Dí rén duì tā ruǎn yìng jiān shī, dàn tā jiān chí bù tuǒ xié.
    The enemy used both carrot and stick on him, but he stubbornly refused to compromise.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

软硬soft and hard tactics
软ruǎnsoft硬yìnghard
联合Side by side
兼施apply both
兼jiānboth施shīapply
偏正Modifier + head

软硬 (soft and hard) and 兼施 (both applied) together mean using gentle and tough tactics at once.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 軟; 软 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
耎
耎ruǎn軟ruǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 軟 pairs 車 (carriage) with 耎 as a sound part; 耎 depicted a man under rain, and simplified 软 uses a later right side instead of 耎.

Open 软 →

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
石石shí
Sound part声符shēngfú
更
更gèng硬yìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

硬 is built from 石, meaning stone, to show hardness or stiffness, and 更, which gives the sound.

Open 硬 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape of 兼 pictures a hand holding two grain stalks, showing two things together.

Open 兼 →

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
㫃㫃㫃
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě施shī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

施 pairs 㫃, the part connected to its meaning, with 也, the part giving its sound.

Open 施 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.