Chinese idiom · 成语
信手拈来
Meaning
To pick up effortlessly; done with ease.
Character by character
Origin and story
literary usageThe expression appears in the Chan Buddhist collection Wudeng Huiyuan, where a teacher's handling of a staff accompanies language about freedom and mastery. Picking something up readily becomes an image for action unhampered by hesitation. Song poet Lu You also uses the phrase when praising Kou Zhun: his verses written at Badong and his strategy at Chanzhou both seem astonishingly accomplished with ease. These uses help explain the idiom's later association with a writer or speaker who can draw on material naturally. The apparent effortlessness need not mean lack of preparation; it often reflects knowledge already thoroughly absorbed.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
她对本地历史很熟，讲解时各种掌故都能信手拈来。
She knows local history well and can effortlessly bring in all sorts of anecdotes as she explains it.
Usually praises fluent command of examples, references, or creative material.