Hand shears (1), particularly those which can be used as branch, hedge and/or garden shears, comprise two shearing blades (2, 3) which can be tilted toward or away from one another by two hand levers (4 and 5) about a common joint (6). The hand levers (4 and 5) are joined to one another directly independently of the shearing blades (2 and 3) by means of a second joint (8) which is offset parallel to the shearing blades joint (6). The shearing blade (2) is rigidly connected with a hand lever (4), while the other shearing blade (3) has a driving arm (9), which protrudes beyond the shearing blade joint (6) and to which one end of a coupler (10) is hinged at the linking axis (11). By way of its other end, the coupler (10) is attached also through a linking axis (12) to the second hand lever (5). The two hand levers (4 and 5) and the two shearing blades (2 and 3) together form a four-joint system. For the purpose of setting a variable force transmission, at least the distance between the linking axis (12) of the coupler (10) on the second hand lever (5) and the joint (8) directly connecting the two hand levers (4 and 5) is variable.