大手大脚
dà shǒu dà jiǎo
Extravagant spending habits · trad. 大手大腳
Describes someone who spends money lavishly and without restraint. It implies a lack of frugality and often suggests a tendency towards extravagance.
What does 大手大脚 (dà shǒu dà jiǎo) mean?
大手大脚 (dà shǒu dà jiǎo) means "extravagant spending habits" in English. Word for word, it breaks down as "big hands big feet."
Character by character
- 大 dà big, large
- 手 shǒu hand
- 大 dà big, large
- 脚 jiǎo foot
When to use it
Typically used to describe individuals who are spendthrifts or wasteful with their finances. It carries a slightly negative connotation, suggesting imprudence rather than just generosity. This idiom is commonly applied to personal spending habits.
Example
她爱大手大脚地花钱。
Tā ài dà shǒu dà jiǎo de huāqián.
She loves to spend money lavishly.
Pro tip: The idiom's imagery of 'big hands big feet' metaphorically conveys a lack of carefulness or restraint when handling money, leading to excessive spending.
Related idioms
大打出手 · Physical altercation大名鼎鼎 · Widespread fame顶天立地 · A person of integrity
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