To do things superficially; to scratch the surface; to touch lightly upon a subject without going into depth.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Antonym:
Story:
During the reign of Emperor Suzong Li Heng of the Tang Dynasty, the celebrated poet Du Fu served as a 'Zuo Shiyi' (an eighth-rank imperial censor). He incurred Emperor Suzong's displeasure and was distanced for speaking up on behalf of an official who had been unjustly accused.
Feeling deeply troubled, Du Fu sought solace by the Qujiang River, where he composed verses. In his famous work 'Two Poems on Qujiang,' he wrote: 'Butterflies piercing flowers are seen deeply, dragonflies skimming the water fly gracefully. Convey this message to the passing spring light, let us appreciate each other for a while, without reluctance.'
The line '点水蜻蜓款款飞' (dragonflies skimming the water fly gracefully) vividly describes the light, fleeting touch of dragonflies on the water's surface, which later inspired the idiom to metaphorically describe a superficial approach to tasks, lacking depth.