English–Chinese
“take action” in Chinese
Chinese
Pronunciation
Pinyinxià shǒu
Example
他一看到机会就下手。tā yí kàn dào jī huì jiù xià shǒu
He takes action as soon as he sees an opportunity.
How to say “take action” in Chinese
“Take action” in Chinese is 下手 (xià shǒu).
Putting one's hand to something marks the point where preparation becomes action, from taking up a task to making a move against a person.
Example sentences with 下手
在这场竞争中，很多公司选择先下手为强。zài zhè chǎng jìng zhēng zhōng hěn duō gōng sī xuǎn zé xiān xià shǒu wéi qiáng
In this competition, many companies choose to act first to gain an advantage.
Tips for using 下手
- In short Chinese replies, 下手 (xiàshǒu, "take action") can appear without a stated object when the context already supplies what is being acted on, whereas English often names the action or target.