Chinese idiom · 成语
上下其手
Meaning
To manipulate up and down; to engage in corruption or trickery.
Character by character
Origin and story
Historical accountThe Zuozhuan (左傳), Duke Xiang’s twenty-sixth year, tells of a dispute over credit for capturing Huang Jie of Zheng. Chuan Fengxu has taken the prisoner, but Prince Wei of Chu claims the achievement. They ask Bo Zhouli to judge. Rather than question the captive impartially, he raises his hand toward the prince and stresses his royal connection, then lowers it toward Chuan Fengxu and describes his lesser office.
The prisoner answers in favor of the prince. The gestures make the supposedly neutral inquiry serve a powerful claimant. Later use turns this scene into an expression for covert manipulation and cheating. The episode illustrates how status and signals can distort testimony even when the process appears to ask for evidence.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
评选规则和分数都公开，才能减少有人上下其手的机会。
Making the selection rules and scores public helps reduce opportunities for behind-the-scenes manipulation.
Strongly critical of dishonest interference; in another context it can refer to unwanted touching.