穿小鞋 (chuān xiǎoxié) make things hard for sb.

Usage:

原来的意思指故意把鞋的尺寸弄小，让别人穿着不舒服，甚至穿不上。后来，这一词语就用来专指在背后使坏点子使人处于困境，或利用某种职权故意为难某人，一般指上级对下级。用法上，可以说“给××穿小鞋”。贬义词。
The original meaning of“穿小鞋(chuān xiǎoxié)” is that someone deliberately makes the shoes smaller for others to make them uncomfortable, even too small to wear. Afterwards people extended the meaning. It chiefly refers to retaliate someone secretly by using scheme or official power, to give him/her a hard time. It generally happens on what the superior does to inferior. We can say “给(gěi)××穿小鞋(chuān xiǎoxié)”. Derogatory.

Sentences:

1、Tā shì yíwèixīnxīong kuānguǎng de lǐngdǎo, zǒngshì xūxīn jiēshòu biérén de yìjiàn, cóng bù gěi yuángōng “chuān xiǎoxié”.
 他是一位心胸宽广的领导，总是虚心接受别人的意见，从不给员工“穿小鞋”。
He is a broad-minded leader who always accepts others’ advices and never makes things hard for his employers.

2、 Wǒ quàn tā qù gěi jīnglǐ dào gè qiàn, miǎnde yǐhòu bèi “chuān xiàn, mi.
我劝她去跟经理道个歉，免得以后被“穿小鞋”。
I advised her to make an apology to manager so as not to be made things hard for herself.

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