敷衍了事 (fū yǎn liǎo shì) — to do something perfunctorily, to muddle throug…

Definition

A set phrase meaning to do a task carelessly just to get it done, without real effort. Often used to criticize someone's work attitude.

verb

to do something perfunctorilyto muddle through one's work

敷衍了事，。
Tā zuò zuò yè zǒng shì fū yǎn liǎo shì, hěn shǎo rèn zhēn jiǎn chá.
He always muddles through his homework and rarely checks it carefully.
敷衍了事，。
Yuán gōng rú guǒ fū yǎn liǎo shì, gōng sī chí zǎo huì chū wèn tí.
If employees just go through the motions, the company will run into trouble sooner or later.
敷衍了事，，。
Bié fū yǎn liǎo shì le, zhè ge xiàng mù hěn zhòng yào, dé rèn zhēn zuò.
Don't just muddle through — this project is important; you have to do it carefully.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

敷衍perfunctory

敷fūspread衍yǎnextend

联合Side by side

了事finish the matter

动宾Verb + object

"敷衍" (perfunctory) tells how one "了事" (gets the matter done), so the whole means to muddle through.

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

攵Written in full as攴pūhand with whip; action

Sound part声符shēngfú

尃

尃fū敷fū

Same sound today

敷 pairs 尃, giving its sound and the sense of distribute, with 攵, a hand with whip showing action.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

衍 is made from 行, a path or way to move, and 水, water.

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

了 was once drawn to show a baby with no arms; some old comments say it showed crossed or tangled legs.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

In 事, 又 is a hand and 中 is a flagpole with a drum; holding a flag in hand depicts performing a job.