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dé 得 xīn 心 yìng 应 shǒu 手

得心应手 dé xīn yìng shǒu

to do something with great facility; to handle with ease

Literally: obtain heart respond hand

Intermediate 💼 Work & money
🃏 Practise intermediate chengyu

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Origin

From the Zhuangzi: the wheelwright Bian said his craft came from 'getting it in the heart and answering with the hand', something that could not be put into words.

How to use it

Predicate or complement; positive. Often 做起来得心应手 or 用得得心应手.

Example sentences

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  1. 他做这份工作已经十年了，早就得心应手了。
    Tā zuò zhè fèn gōngzuò yǐjīng shí nián le, zǎo jiù dé xīn yìng shǒu le.
    He's done this job for ten years and handles it with total ease.
    he do this (measure) job already ten year (particle), long-ago already obtain heart respond hand (particle)
  2. 练习了几个月，她用这个软件越来越得心应手。
    Liànxí le jǐ gè yuè, tā yòng zhège ruǎnjiàn yuèláiyuè dé xīn yìng shǒu.
    After a few months of practice she uses the software more and more easily.
    practise (particle) several (measure) month, she use this software more-and-more obtain heart respond hand

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