浅尝辄止 (qiǎn cháng zhé zhǐ) — to stop after getting a tiny taste; to dabble in something without going deep; to be superficial in one's approach

Definition

An idiom criticizing someone who gives up after a brief try — 'to dabble and quit.' Implies a negative judgment: the person never reaches real understanding.

idiom
to stop after getting a tiny tasteto dabble in something without going deepto be superficial in one's approach

Examples

  • 浅尝辄止，。
    Xué xí rèn hé jì néng dōu bù néng qiǎn cháng zhé zhǐ, bì xū chí zhī yǐ héng.
    When learning any skill, you can't just scratch the surface — you must persevere.
  • 浅尝辄止，。
    Tā duì zhè ge wèn tí de yán jiū zhǐ shì qiǎn cháng zhé zhǐ, méi yǒu shēn rù fēn xī.
    His research on this issue was only superficial; he didn't do any in-depth analysis.
  • 浅尝辄止，。
    Dú shū rú guǒ qiǎn cháng zhé zhǐ, jiù yǒng yuǎn wú fǎ zhēn zhèng lǐ jiě zuò zhě de sī xiǎng.
    If you only skim books superficially, you'll never truly understand the author's ideas.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

浅尝taste shallowly
浅qiǎnshallow尝chángtaste
偏正Modifier + head
辄止then stop
辄zhéthen止zhǐstop
偏正Modifier + head

A 浅尝, a slight taste, leads to 辄止, stopping there, conveying superficial effort.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 淺; 浅 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
戔
戔jiān淺qiǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 淺 pairs 氵 (water) with 戔 to give the sound; 浅 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 浅 →

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 嘗; 尝 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 尝 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (尝, 尝试) it is 嘗; in others (品尝) it is 嚐.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
旨旨zhǐtasty
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng嘗cháng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 嘗 pairs 旨 (tasty) with 尚, which supplies the sound; the simplified 尝 is a later shorthand.

Open 尝 →

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 輒; 辄 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcart
Sound part声符shēngfú
耴
耴yì輒zhé
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 輒 pairs 車 (cart) with 耴 as a sound part; 辄 is the simplified form of 輒.

Open 辄 →

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

止 was drawn as a footprint pointing up, with three toes and a sole, originally showing a foot.

Open 止 →

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