敲软敲硬
[qiāo ruăn qiāo yìng]
The name '敲软敲硬' (qiāo ruǎn qiāo yìng) combines the terms for tapping something soft and something hard. It metaphorically means to handle situations flexibly, being firm when necessary but gentle when needed. It can be used humorously to show versatility or resourcefulness in one’s approach.