一显身手 (yī xiǎn shēn shǒu) — to display one's skill; to show off one's talent

Definition

A set idiom meaning to take a chance to show off one's abilities. Highlights giving someone an opening (e.g. 给了他一个∼的机会) to demonstrate what they can do.

idiom
to display one's skillto show off one's talent

Examples

  • 一显身手，。
    Zhè cì bǐ sài tā dǎ suàn yī xiǎn shēn shǒu, ràng dà jiā kàn kàn tā de shí lì.
    In this competition he plans to display his skill and let everyone see his ability.
  • 一显身手，。
    Tā zài wǎn huì shàng yī xiǎn shēn shǒu, yíng dé le guān zhòng de rè liè zhǎng shēng.
    At the party she showed off her talent and won enthusiastic applause from the audience.
  • 一显身手，。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù gěi le tā yí gè yī xiǎn shēn shǒu de jī huì, tā yí dìng huì hǎo hǎo bǎ wò.
    This project gives him a chance to showcase his skills; he will surely seize it.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

一显show once
一yīonce显xiǎnshow
偏正Modifier + head
身手skill
身shēnbody手shǒuhand
联合Side by side

一显 means to show once, and 身手 means body and hands, so the idea is showing one's skill.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 顯; 显 is its simplified writing.

  • 日日rìsun
  • 絲絲sīsilk
  • 頁頁yèperson's head

For 显, the traditional form 顯 is made of 日 (sun), 絲 (silk), and 頁 (person's head).

Open 显 →

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

The shape of 身 comes from a drawing of a pregnant woman.

Open 身 →

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

手 draws a five-fingered human hand: the top line is a bent middle finger, and the horizontal lines show the other four fingers.

Open 手 →

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