Chinese word

穿小鞋

Pronunciation

Pinyinchuān xiǎo xié

Meaning

  • verbgive someone a hard time

Example

老板总是对她穿小鞋，不给她升职。láo bǎn zǒng shì duì tā chuān xiǎo xié bù gěi tā shēng zhí

The boss always gives her a hard time and does not promote her.

Illustration for 穿小鞋 (give someone a hard time)

More examples

他表面上很客气，但私下常常对同事穿小鞋。tā biǎo miàn shàng hěn kè qì dàn sī xià cháng cháng duì tóng shì chuān xiǎo xié

He is polite on the surface, but often gives his colleagues a hard time behind their backs.

Core concept

A person is made to walk in an ill-fitting shoe, as small hidden restrictions turn ordinary situations into ongoing discomfort.

Common phrases

  • 对同事穿小鞋duì tóng shì chuān xiǎo xié

    give colleagues a hard time

  • 给下属穿小鞋gěi xià shǔ chuān xiǎo xié

    give subordinates a hard time

  • 暗地里穿小鞋àn dì lǐ chuān xiǎo xié

    secretly give colleagues a hard time

Similar words

刁难diāo nàn: Intentionally giving someone extra difficulties that interfere with getting work or procedures done.
为难wéi nán: Putting someone under pressure or in an awkward position, making action or choice difficult.
排挤pái jǐ: Keeping someone on the outside of a group and denying them a place or useful role.
打击dǎ jī: Harming someone's confidence, position, or accomplishments by attacking them.

Definition in Chinese

用小动作或刁难的方式对待某人，故意使其处境不利或让其难受。yòng xiǎo dòng zuò huò diāo nàn de fāng shì duì dài mǒu rén gù yì shǐ qí chǔ jìng bú lì huò ràng qí nán shòu

Word origin

穿 (chuān, "wear") + 小 (xiǎo, "small") + 鞋 (xié, "shoe") presents mistreatment as being forced to wear shoes that cause discomfort and hinder movement.

Usage tips

  • The expression describes intentional mistreatment rather than ordinary strictness, so it fits workplace conflicts and other relationships where someone quietly makes life harder.

Other meanings

  • harass someoneverb
  • treat someone harshlyverb
  • bully someoneverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word