蜻蜓点水 (qīng tíng diǎn shuǐ) — (idiom) to do something superficially; to skim the surface; to touch on a topic without depth

Definition

A chengyu meaning to do something only on the surface, without depth — like a dragonfly skimming water. Used to criticize work or study that lacks real substance.

idiom
to do something superficiallyto skim the surfaceto touch on a topic without depth

Examples

  • 蜻蜓点水，。
    Tā xué xí zǒng shì qīng tíng diǎn shuǐ, bù kěn shēn rù.
    He always skims the surface in his studies, unwilling to go deep.
  • 蜻蜓点水，。
    Zhè běn shū zhǐ shì qīng tíng diǎn shuǐ dì jiè shào le lì shǐ, bú gòu xiáng xì.
    This book only touches lightly on history, not detailed enough.
  • 蜻蜓点水，。
    Zuò yán jiū bù néng qīng tíng diǎn shuǐ, xū yào rèn zhēn zuān yán.
    In research, you can't just skim the surface; you need to delve deeply.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

蜻蜓
蜻qīng蜓tíng
点水touch water
点diǎntouch水shuǐwater
动宾Verb + object

蜻蜓, a dragonfly, and 点水, touching water, suggest doing something superficially.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
虫虫chónginsect
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng蜻
Same sound today

蜻 pairs 虫, the insect side, with 青, which supplies the sound.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

水 is a simple drawing of water flowing.

Open 水 →

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