1.
bare-handed; empty-handed; with nothing; from scratch
Literally, having no weapons or tools — fighting with bare fists. Figuratively, starting from nothing with no resources, connections, or advantages. Often used admiringly to describe someone who built something through sheer effort.
徒手空拳で会社を興した。
He started a company from scratch with nothing.
徒手空拳の状態から成功をつかんだ。
He seized success starting from nothing.
資金もコネも無い徒手空拳の若者が一代で財を成した。
A young person with no money or connections built a fortune from nothing in a single generation.
A four-character compound (四字熟語) literally meaning "empty hands, bare fists" (徒手 = bare hands, 空拳 = empty fists). While the literal meaning refers to fighting without weapons, the figurative usage is far more common in modern Japanese, describing someone who achieves something with no initial resources or advantages. Often appears in success stories and biographies. Conveys admiration for self-made achievement.