赤手空拳 (chì shǒu kōng quán) — bare-handed; unarmed; (figuratively) empty-handed; without any resources or preparation

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'with bare hands, no weapon' — literally 'red hands, empty fists.' Often used figuratively to stress having no resources or backing at all.

idiom
bare-handedunarmed(figuratively) empty-handedwithout any resources or preparation

Examples

  • 赤手空拳
    Tā chì shǒu kōng quán dì dǎ bài le nà ge dǎi tú.
    He defeated that gangster bare-handed.
  • 赤手空拳
    Chuàng yè shí tā chì shǒu kōng quán, méi yǒu rèn hé zī jīn.
    When starting his business, he had nothing — no capital at all.
  • 赤手空拳
    Miàn duì kùn nan, wǒ men bù néng chì shǒu kōng quán dì yìng pīn.
    Facing difficulties, we can't just fight bare-handed.

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