Definition
摆布 has two distinct senses. The first is a concrete meaning 'to arrange, to lay out, to decorate' — used for arranging furniture, decorations, or small items. The second is a figurative, often negative meaning 'to order about, to manipulate, to push someone around', as in the common fixed phrase 任人摆布 ('to let oneself be ordered about'). The manipulative sense is more frequent in modern usage, while the literal sense is more literary.
v.
to arrangeto decorateto order aboutto manipulate
Examples
- 摆布。Tā bǎ fángjiān lǐ de xiǎo dōngxi bǎi bù de hěn zhěngqí.He arranged the small items in the room very neatly.
- 摆布。Bié yǐwéi nǐ kěyǐ suíbiàn bǎi bù wǒ.Don't think you can order me around as you please.
- 摆布，。Tā bù xǐhuān bèi biérén bǎi bù, suǒyǐ zìjǐ zuò le juédìng.She doesn't like being manipulated by others, so she made her own decision.
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