<p>空手 = bare hands</p>
<p>套 = secure --&gt; catch</p>
<p>白狼 = white wolf</p>
<p>Catching a rare and valuable white wolf with no equipment implies getting a great reward without investment</p>
<p><a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E7%A9%BA%E6%89%8B%E5%A5%97%E7%99%BD%E7%8B%BC/2828058" rel="nofollow noreferrer">空手套白狼</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>空手套白狼”在今天是一个贬义词 -  &quot;Catching white wolf with bare hands&quot; is a derogatory term today</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>比喻那些不做任何投资到处行骗的骗子所用的欺骗手段 - It is a metaphor for the deception methods used by scammers who go around cheating without making any investment.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Saying someone &quot;Catching white wolf with bare hands&quot; is saying he is scamming</p>
<p>Note:</p>
<p>The person who coined the phrase 空手套白狼 (catch white wolf with bare hands) might have been inspired by a common phrase 空手接白刃 (catch shining blade with bare hands)</p>
<p>空手接白刃 = bare hands + recieve (catch) + white (shining) blade</p>
<ol>
<li><p>describe &quot;catching in-coming blade with bare hands&quot;, an imaginary skill that no living human is capable of in combat</p>
</li>
<li><p>metaphor for &quot;Resolve great crises with great skills&quot;</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>白刃 = white blade --&gt; shining blade --&gt; edged weapon</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-11T18:47:42.647Z
A related saying with the same usage of 套 is 舍不得孩子套不着狼.
kyc
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-11T17:32:04.377Z
2024-11-11T17:55:20.517Z
2024-11-11T17:55:20.517Z
Tang Ho
<p>“空手<strong>套</strong>白狼“ - &quot;<strong>harness</strong> the (white) wolve with empty hand&quot;.</p>
<p><strong>套</strong> (v) - 用绳索将牲口拴住. - Tie the animal with a rope over its neck for control.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-11T23:23:22.770Z
2024-11-11T23:23:22.770Z
r13
<p>“空手套白狼“ is translated as “getting something from nothing”. In fact, that fits quite well to the story where it is taken from. But How ? The composition of this phrase = “empty” + “glove” + “white wolf” or “empty handed” + “covering” + “white wolf” (not mentioning “空手“ at some point even means Karate as well). How can all these ingredients make up the meaning “getting something from nothing” assuming that is correct one, of course. Your feedback would  be highly appreciated. Thank you in advance !</p>

<meaning>
how the meaning of 空手套白狼 is made up?
# how the meaning of 空手套白狼 is made up?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-11-11)

“空手套白狼“ is translated as “getting something from nothing”. In fact, that fits quite well to the story where it is taken from. But How ? The composition of this phrase = “empty” + “glove” + “white wolf” or “empty handed” + “covering” + “white wolf” (not mentioning “空手“ at some point even means Karate as well). How can all these ingredients make up the meaning “getting something from nothing” assuming that is correct one, of course. Your feedback would be highly appreciated. Thank you in advance !

**Tags:** meaning


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-11-11. Score: 3

空手 = bare hands

套 = secure --> catch

白狼 = white wolf

Catching a rare and valuable white wolf with no equipment implies getting a great reward without investment

[空手套白狼](https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E7%A9%BA%E6%89%8B%E5%A5%97%E7%99%BD%E7%8B%BC/2828058)

> 空手套白狼”在今天是一个贬义词 - "Catching white wolf with bare hands" is a derogatory term today

> 比喻那些不做任何投资到处行骗的骗子所用的欺骗手段 - It is a metaphor for the deception methods used by scammers who go around cheating without making any investment.

Saying someone "Catching white wolf with bare hands" is saying he is scamming

Note:

The person who coined the phrase 空手套白狼 (catch white wolf with bare hands) might have been inspired by a common phrase 空手接白刃 (catch shining blade with bare hands)

空手接白刃 = bare hands + recieve (catch) + white (shining) blade

1. describe "catching in-coming blade with bare hands", an imaginary skill that no living human is capable of in combat
2. metaphor for "Resolve great crises with great skills"

白刃 = white blade --> shining blade --> edged weapon

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: A related saying with the same usage of 套 is 舍不得孩子套不着狼.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2024-11-11. Score: 0

“空手**套**白狼“ - "**harness** the (white) wolve with empty hand".

**套** (v) - 用绳索将牲口拴住. - Tie the animal with a rope over its neck for control.


---

