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拖后腿
tuō hòu tuǐ◆idiom
to hold someone back
他总是拖后腿，让整个团队进度变慢。
He always holds the team back, slowing down the whole project.
informal
To hinder or impede someone's progress or success, often by being a burden or obstacle.
因为她的英语不好，所以在小组讨论中总是拖后腿。
Because her English is poor, she always holds the group discussion back.
他不想拖后腿，所以决定退出比赛。
He didn’t want to hold the team back, so he decided to drop out of the competition.
Commonly used in social or team settings to describe someone whose performance negatively affects others.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Avoiding the Phrase
Instead of saying someone is '拖后腿', you can say '影响进度' (affect progress) or '表现不佳' (perform poorly) for a more neutral tone.
Gold Rule
Context Matters
Use '拖后腿' only when the person’s actions are genuinely hindering progress. Avoid using it casually for minor issues.
Word Origin
The phrase originates from the literal image of someone physically dragging another person's legs, symbolizing being a burden. It evolved into a metaphor for hindering progress in social or collaborative contexts.
Usage Notes
Used in both personal and professional contexts. Often implies a sense of responsibility or guilt when one's poor performance affects others. Avoid using in formal written Chinese unless quoting speech.
Word Breakdown
拖
to drag, to pull
verb后腿
back legs
noun phrase汉英词典