泛泛 (fán) — (adverb) in a general or superficial manner; without depth or specificity; (adverb) casually; perfunctorily; not in an intimate or close way
Definition
泛泛 (fànfàn) means 'in a general, surface-level way' — without depth or specificity. It commonly pairs with 而谈 ('speak in vague generalities') and 之交 ('casual acquaintance'), always coloring what follows as shallow.
adverb
in a general or superficial mannerwithout depth or specificitycasuallyperfunctorilynot in an intimate or close way
Examples
- ，。Tā zhǐ shì fán ér tán, méi yǒu shēn rù tǎo lùn wèn tí.He only spoke in general terms and didn't discuss the issue in depth.
- 泛泛，。Wǒ men zhǐ shì fán zhī jiāo, bú tài liǎo jiě duì fāng.We are only casual acquaintances and don't know each other well.
- 泛泛，。Qǐng bú yào fán pī píng, yào tí chū jù tǐ yì jiàn.Please don't criticize in a general way; give specific feedback.
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