心灵手巧

• Pinyin: xīn líng shǒu qiǎo
• Hanzi breakdown: 心 = heart/mind; 灵 = 雨 + 口 + 巫 (spirit, nimble); 手 = hand (pictograph); 巧 = 工 + 丂 (craft + clever shaping — skillful)

Meaning

Clever and deft; mentally sharp and manually skilled. Describes a person who is both intelligent and highly adept with their hands.

A four-character idiom (成语) praising a person's combination of mental acuity and manual dexterity. Commonly used to compliment artisans, craftspeople, or anyone who produces refined work with their hands and creative mind.

Examples

1. 她心灵手巧，能把一块普通的布料裁制成令人惊叹的旗袍。 She’s clever and skillful, able to turn an ordinary piece of fabric into a stunning qipao.
2. 这位老工匠心灵手巧，所雕刻的木偶栩栩如生，令人叹为观止。 This old craftsman is incredibly deft and skilled; the wooden puppets he carves look lifelike and are truly breathtaking.
3. 孩子从小心灵手巧，对各种手工艺品有着浓厚的兴趣和天赋。 From a young age, the child has been clever and handy, with a strong interest and talent for all kinds of crafts.

Usage Guide

Context: crafts, compliments, character description, arts

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 她心灵手巧，只用几根竹条和一张薄纸，就扎出了一个造型精美的风筝。(She is clever and deft — with just a few bamboo strips and a sheet of thin paper, she fashioned a beautifully shaped kite.)
• 这位绣娘心灵手巧，其刺绣作品细腻入微，每一针每一线都蕴含着深厚的匠人精神。(This embroiderer is mentally sharp and manually skilled; her embroidery work is exquisitely delicate, with every stitch and thread imbued with the spirit of true craftsmanship.)

Don't Say

• 他心灵手巧地解决了数学题 — 心灵手巧 specifically implies manual skill combined with cleverness; use 聪明 or 机智 for purely intellectual problem-solving

Origin & History

心灵 (a nimble/clever mind) + 手巧 (skilled/deft hands) — a person whose mind and hands are equally sharp and capable

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal