# 七手八脚

qī shǒu bā jiǎo

Have several people helping in a scramble

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Seven hands and eight feet

**Traditional Chinese:** 七手八腳

**Register:** Descriptive · conversational

[People & connection](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/relationships)

## When to use it

Describe hurried, overlapping efforts by many people.

Often helpful but somewhat chaotic, not orderly teamwork.

## Understanding the expression

Many hands and feet move at once around the same task. The expression suggests eagerness, hurry, and a little confusion as people join in. It often describes lifting something, setting out materials, or preparing a room quickly. The numbers do not count actual participants. Unlike carefully coordinated teamwork, the image retains a spontaneous bustle. Context can show whether the combined activity solves the problem or needs one person to organize it.

## Examples

大家七手八脚地搬开桌子。

### Traditional Chinese

大家七手八腳地搬開桌子。

dà jiā qī shǒu bā jiǎo dì bān kāi zhuō zi 。

Everyone hurried to move the table together.

他们七手八脚地扶起老人。

### Traditional Chinese

他們七手八腳地扶起老人。

tā men qī shǒu bā jiǎo dì fú qǐ lǎo rén 。

They scrambled to help the elder up.

孩子们七手八脚地布置教室。

### Traditional Chinese

孩子們七手八腳地佈置教室。

hái zi men qī shǒu bā jiǎo dì bù zhì jiào shì 。

The children busily decorated the classroom together.

别七手八脚乱拆，先听维修员安排。

### Traditional Chinese

別七手八腳亂拆，先聽維修員安排。

bié qī shǒu bā jiǎo luàn chāi ， xiān tīng wéi xiū yuán ān pái 。

Do not dismantle things chaotically; follow the technician's plan.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E4%B8%83%E6%89%8B%E5%85%AB%E8%85%B3)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=548&webMd=1&la=0)

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