飞针走线
fēi zhēn zǒu xiàn
to sew or embroider with quick, skilful hands
Character by character
飞fēi
fly
fly
针zhēn
needle
needle
走zǒu
run
run
线xiàn
thread
thread
Example
奶奶戴上眼镜，飞针走线，不到一个小时就把孙子的书包补好了。
Grandma put on her glasses, her needle flying, and had her grandson’s schoolbag mended in under an hour.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
A picture of skilled hands at work, so it belongs to descriptive writing: 绣娘们坐在窗前飞针走线. Said of people sewing or embroidering by hand, not of machines.
Learn this in Lesson 237 · HSK 9+: 苏绣 (Suzhou embroidery)
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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