把…一 + 动词
with one quick move (a glare, a wave, a slam), and then …
Structure
主语 把 名词（多为身体部位） 一 单音节动词 ， 接着发生的事
What it means
A storyteller's way to show one sudden, decisive gesture (a glare, a wave, a slam), followed by what it leads to.
How it is built
Subject + 把 + thing moved (often 眼, 手, 脸, 头) + 一 + one-syllable verb, + what happens next: 他把手一挥，台下立刻安静了下来 (He waved his hand and the audience fell silent).
When to use it
Common in novels and descriptions of acting: 把脸一沉, 把头一扭. It seldom ends the sentence, since the point is what follows. Not 把书看一看 or 把房间打扫一下, which mean doing something a little.
Watch out
The verb stands bare, with no 了: ✗ 把手一挥了 ✓ 把手一挥，… 一 comes straight after the object, and there is only one verb.
Examples
花脸演坏人时把眼一瞪，样子十分凶恶。
Playing a villain, a painted face glares, and he looks utterly ferocious.
老师把书一合，说：“今天就讲到这儿。”
The teacher shut the book: “That’s all for today.”
他把手一挥，台下立刻安静了下来。
He gave one wave of his hand, and the audience fell silent at once.
Learn this in Lesson 100 · HSK 6–7: 京剧 (Peking opera)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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