拿人手短

拿人手短

Literally means:

after receiving a gift, the hands get shorter

Actually means:

gifts blind the eyes

This is shortened form of 拿了人的手短，吃了人的嘴软 or 吃人家的嘴短，拿人家的手短。手短 literally means failing to reach one's hand farther, and figuratively means being unable to handle problems impartially; 嘴软, has the literal meaning of being unable to say rigid words, and it figuratively means being unable to tell the truth.

This phrase means that one has to be partial to someone or serve someone because he has accepted some be-hind-the-table favor from that person. The latter half 吃人嘴软 is usually used to admonish others not to accept bribery or other behind-the table interests.

是“拿了人的手短，吃了人的嘴软”或“吃人家的嘴短，拿人家的手短”的紧缩形式。手短，不能家公平公正地处理问题嘴软，不能按照事实坦白说话。

拿人手短，接受了某人的好处，就受某人的控制，就得袒护某人，保护某人，为某人做事。后半句为“吃人嘴软”。多用来告诫别人不要接受贿赂，或不明不白的好处。