English Translation
She has him at her beck and call.
Is this a common phrase?
@ericaw
Yes, 顎で使う is a correct and common expression.
Imagine a scene from a mafia or gang movie. A leader slightly moves his chin up without a word. It’s a sign of green light (executing a hostage etc.) to his gofer. That’s the image of 顎で使う. Only arrogant people do so while normal people usually say something politely when they ask a favor of someone else.
The original Japanese sentence, however, doesn’t match the English sentence. 顎で人を使う is most likely to be interpreted as “she has everybody/people at her beck and call”. 人 should be replaced with 彼 (him), or the English sentence should be “everyone/people”.
There is a similar expression: 人を手足のように使う, which is also translated as “have someone at one’s beck and call”.
The person who was 顎で使われる feels “upset” due to the arrogant way while those who 手足のように使われる feels “exhausted” by being squeezed every energy and time to serve only for the interests of the commander.
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