Definition
袖手旁观 (xiù shǒu páng guān) is an idiom meaning 'to stand by and do nothing' — literally 'with hands in sleeves, watching from the sidelines'. It carries a disapproving tone, implying the person should have helped but chose not to.
phrase
to stand idly byto look on with folded arms and do nothing (idiom, often disapproving)
Examples
- ，袖手旁观。Miàn duì péngyou yù dào kùnnan, wǒmen bù néng xiù shǒu páng guān.When friends face difficulties, we can't just stand by and do nothing.
- 袖手旁观，。Tā zhàn zài yì páng xiù shǒu páng guān, shénme yě bú zuò.He stood on the sidelines with folded arms and did nothing at all.
- 袖手旁观，。Rúguǒ wǒmen dōu xiù shǒu páng guān, zhège wèntí jiù yǒngyuǎn jiějué bù liǎo.If we all just look on without lifting a finger, this problem will never be solved.
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