Meaning of 手里
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- in hand
- (a situation is) in sb's hands
How to use 手里
手里 describes something you are physically holding, and it can also mean something is under someone's control. It usually follows a person and often appears with 在 or 拿着. 他手里拿着一本书。(Tā shǒu li názhe yì běn shū.) He is holding a book in his hand.
手 (shǒu) is a hand and 里 (lǐ) means inside, so 手里 is simply what is inside your hand. Picture a closed fist holding something, just like 家里 (jiā li) is what is inside the home.
Common mistake: Learners often say 在手 or 手上里 when they mean holding something. The natural pattern is person + 手里 + 拿着 + object. Also, 里 here is usually neutral tone (li), so do not stress it with a full third tone the way you would in 这里 (zhèlǐ).
手里 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
手 shǒu · hand · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
里 lǐ · lining · 7 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Related words
Words that share a character with 手里.
Questions about 手里
What does 手里 mean?
手里 (shǒu li) means "in hand; (a situation is) in sb's hands".
How do you write 手里?
手里 is made of 2 characters: 手 (4 strokes), 里 (7 strokes). That is 11 strokes in total.
Is 手里 an HSK word?
Yes. 手里 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 手里 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 手里 is written 手裡.
What is the difference between 手里 and 手上?
Both can mean in or on your hand, and they often overlap. 手里 suggests holding something inside the hand, like a cup or a phone. 手上 is more about the surface of the hand, like a ring or dirt on your hand.
How do I use 手里 to say a decision is up to someone?
Use the pattern 在 + person + 手里. For example, 决定权在你手里 (juédìngquán zài nǐ shǒu li) means the decision is in your hands.