'Shuǎi xiù' literally means 'to flick or snap one's sleeve'—a highly stylized, expressive gesture in traditional Chinese opera. The character 甩 (shuǎi) conveys a swift, forceful motion like throwing or flinging, while 袖 (xiù) refers specifically to the long, flowing sleeve of classical Hanfu or opera costumes. Together, they name a deliberate, dramatic movement used by performers to express indignation, dismissal, disdain, or sudden emotional resolve.

This gesture is deeply embedded in xiqu (Chinese opera) performance conventions and requires precise timing, posture, and wrist control. Though rooted in theater, 'shuǎi xiù' occasionally appears metaphorically in modern writing or speech to evoke theatricality, pride, or abrupt rejection—though it remains strongly associated with classical stagecraft rather than everyday action.