在 + 人 + 手里
under someone; in someone’s hands (while he or she is in charge)
Structure
在 某人 手里／手中 ， 主语 ＋ 变化 ／ 主语 到了 某人 手里
What it means
Figuratively “in someone’s hands”: under someone’s control or leadership, summing up what that person did with a business, institution or skill.
How it is built
在 + person + 手里／手中，subject + change: 在他手里，公司越做越大 (under him the company grew and grew). 到了…手里 marks a change of owner; 落到…手里 an unwelcome one.
When to use it
Sounds personal and often carries praise or blame; 手中 is more written. The official, neutral phrase is 在…的领导下. Literally it is just “in the hand”: 钥匙在我手里.
Watch out
Keep 在 or 到 when it opens the sentence: ✗ 他手里，少林寺…… ✓ 在他手里，少林寺…… The slot holds a person or group, not a place or thing.
Examples
在他手里，少林寺注册了几百个商标，办起了公司。
Under him the temple registered hundreds of trademarks and set up companies.
这家老字号到了孙子手里，生意反而越做越大。
Once the old firm passed into the grandson’s hands, business actually grew and grew.
同样的鱼和肉，在好厨师手里就能变成一道名菜。
In the hands of a good cook, the same fish and meat can become a famous dish.
Learn this in Lesson 244 · HSK 9+: 少林寺 (The Shaolin Temple)
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.
Open the lesson →