How to say "the palm of the Buddha's hand (a metaphor for a higher authority or force from whose control one cannot break free, from 西遊記|西游记[Xi1 you2 ji4], "Journey to the West")" in Chinese
如来佛的掌心
rú lái fó de zhǎng xīn
travel · travel · advanced · neutral
When To Use It
"the palm of the Buddha's hand (a metaphor for a higher authority or force from whose control one cannot break free, from 西遊記|西游记[Xi1 you2 ji4], "Journey to the West")" maps to 如来佛的掌心 (rú lái fó de zhǎng xīn), a neutral travel phrase for travel situations.
This is useful in transit, hotels, stations, airports, and cross-city logistics where clarity matters more than style.
Practice it first exactly as written, then swap in your own people, places, or objects so it becomes part of your active speaking repertoire.
Tone And Delivery
The register is neutral, which makes it flexible: safe in most daily situations without sounding stiff or overly intimate.
Because this is marked advanced, pay attention to nuance, tone, and whether a simpler phrase might be safer in fast conversation.
A good practice target is the example sentence 如来佛的掌心 (rú lái fó de zhǎng xīn). Once that feels natural, shorten your pause and try it at conversation speed.
Practice Ideas
This phrase becomes more useful when you learn it as part of a mini-sequence. After saying it, a natural next step could be 城市依赖症 (chéng shì yī lài zhèng).
A second nearby phrase to review is 原子能发电站 (yuán zǐ néng fā diàn zhàn), which helps you stay in the same topic instead of translating from scratch again.
- Read the example “the palm of the Buddha's hand (a metaphor for a higher authority or force from whose control one cannot break free” aloud, then replace one detail with your own information.
- Pair it with “"urban dependence disease" (sufferers are unwilling to give up city comforts and return to the countryside)” next so your conversation does not stop after a single line.
- Match the phrase to your tone of voice: soft for polite requests, flatter and quicker for routine daily use.
- If you hear a slightly different version in the wild, compare the tone and context before treating it as interchangeable.
Examples
如来佛的掌心
rú lái fó de zhǎng xīn
the palm of the Buddha's hand (a metaphor for a higher authority or force from whose control one cannot break free
Related
- "urban dependence disease" (sufferers are unwilling to give up city comforts and return to the countryside) — 城市依赖症 (chéng shì yī lài zhèng)
- atomic power station — 原子能发电站 (yuán zǐ néng fā diàn zhàn)
- bus stop — 公共汽车站 (gōng gòng qì chē zhàn)
- developing country — 发展中国家 (fā zhǎn zhōng guó jiā)
Explore more phrases on the How to say index or try the Chinese Name Generator.
Phrase FAQ
How do you say "the palm of the Buddha's hand (a metaphor for a higher authority or force from whose control one cannot break free, from 西遊記|西游记[Xi1 you2 ji4], "Journey to the West")" in Chinese?
如来佛的掌心 (rú lái fó de zhǎng xīn).
When should I use this phrase?
Use it in travel situations where a neutral tone fits. Because it is tagged advanced, it is meant to be practical and reusable rather than literary or highly specialized.
Is pronunciation included?
Yes. Every phrase page includes pinyin with tone marks, plus example sentences so you can hear how the wording expands in real use.
What should I learn next after this phrase?
A useful follow-up is 城市依赖症 (chéng shì yī lài zhèng) — ""urban dependence disease" (sufferers are unwilling to give up city comforts and return to the countryside)". Studying connected phrases in small clusters makes them easier to recall in conversation.