袖手旁观

xiù shǒu páng guān

HSK 7–9

Meaning

把手缩在袖子里在一旁观看。比喻置身事外，不参与、不帮助。

To watch from the sidelines with one's hands in one's sleeves. It means to stand by and do nothing, to refrain from getting involved or helping.

用于形容对事情漠不关心，不愿插手帮助或参与的态度。常带有批评或惋惜的意味。

Used to describe an attitude of indifference or unwillingness to intervene or help. Often carries a tone of criticism or regret.

1 看到朋友遇到困难，我们不能袖手旁观。 (We cannot stand by with folded arms when our friend is in trouble.)
2 面对环境污染问题，每个人都应该行动起来，而不是袖手旁观。 (Facing environmental pollution, everyone should take action instead of standing idly by.)
3 他在比赛中受伤，队友们没有袖手旁观，立刻上前帮忙。 (When he got injured in the game, his teammates didn't stand by; they immediately went to help.)
4 对于社会不公，我们不能袖手旁观，要勇敢发声。 (We cannot stand by in the face of social injustice; we must speak out bravely.)
5 邻居家发生火灾，大家都没有袖手旁观，纷纷帮忙救火。 (When the neighbor's house caught fire, no one stood by; everyone helped to put out the fire.)

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