挥之即去 (huī zhī jí qù) — to dismiss someone with a wave; to wave away (literally or figuratively)

Definition

Idiomatic verb: 'wave someone away' — a single dismissive gesture to send a person off, often with cold or rude authority. Common in literary and historical contexts.

verb
to dismiss someone with a waveto wave away (literally or figuratively)

Examples

  • 挥之即去，。
    Lǎo bǎn duì mì shū huī zhī jí qù, shì yì tā lí kāi.
    The boss waved the secretary away, signaling her to leave.
  • 挥之即去，。
    Tā duì nà xiē bú sù zhī kè huī zhī jí qù, háo bú kè qi.
    He dismissed those uninvited guests with a wave, without any politeness.
  • ，挥之即去，。
    Kàn dào dà chén men zhēng lùn bù xiū, huáng dì huī zhī jí qù, ràng tā men tuì xià.
    Seeing the ministers arguing endlessly, the emperor waved them away and ordered them to withdraw.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 揮; 挥 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
軍
軍jūn揮huī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 揮 pairs 扌 (hand) with 軍 as a sound part; the simplified 挥 is a shorthand, so its right side is not the historical component.

Open 挥 →

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

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →

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

  • 皀皀jíancient round-mouthed food vessel
  • 卩卩jiéto kneel

即 pairs 皀 (an ancient round-mouthed food vessel) with 卩 (to kneel), showing someone kneeling near the vessel to eat, so it means to come near or approach.

Open 即 →

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

去 pairs 大, a man, with 口, a mouth or object. The evidence reads this as a man leaving a place, a man opening his mouth, or a cover over an object.

Open 去 →

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