TongTong
Sign in

轻描淡写 (qīng miáo dàn xiě) — to make light of; to gloss over; to understate (something serious)

Definition

An idiom meaning to describe something serious as if it were minor or unimportant. Use it for deliberately downplaying — a negative judgment, not a neutral style choice.

idiom
to make light ofto gloss overto understate (something serious)

Examples

  • ，轻描淡写。
    Zhè ge wèn tí hěn yán zhòng, wǒ men bù néng qīng miáo dàn xiě.
    This problem is very serious; we cannot treat it lightly.
  • 轻描淡写，。
    Tā duì zì jǐ fàn de cuò zhǐ shì qīng miáo dàn xiě, méi yǒu rèn zhēn sī kǎo.
    He just glossed over his own mistake and didn't think carefully about it.
  • 轻描淡写，。
    Jǐng fāng duì zhè jiàn shì de chǔ lǐ bù néng qīng miáo dàn xiě, bì xū chè dǐ diào chá.
    The police's handling of this matter cannot be light; they must thoroughly investigate.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

轻描lightly sketch
轻qīnglightly描miáosketch
偏正Modifier + head
淡写palely write
淡dànpalely写xiěwrite
偏正Modifier + head

轻描 (lightly sketch) and 淡写 (palely write) combine to mean understating something.

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 輕; 轻 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng輕qīng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 輕 pairs 車, a carriage, with 巠 to give the sound; it originally named a light carriage. The simplified 轻 is only a later shorthand.

Open 轻 →

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
苗
苗miáo描miáo
Same sound today

The hand part 手 is on the left, showing the action is done with the hand. The right part 苗 gives the sound.

Open 描 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
炎
炎yán淡dàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

淡 puts 氵 (water) beside 炎, which gives the sound yán.

Open 淡 →

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 寫; 写 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
舄
舄xì寫xiě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 寫 combines 宀 with 舄 for the sound; this note is about 寫, not the simplified 写.

Open 写 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.