scattered fragments; incomplete bits
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
scattered fragments; bits and pieces; incomplete segments
literaryLiterary idiom derived from the image of seeing only scattered scales (鳞) and claws (爪) of a dragon from the east and west. Often used to describe fragmented information or incomplete knowledge. A variant of 一鳞半爪.
Zhè这
piān篇
bào报
dào道
zhǐ只
shì是
dōng东
lín鳞
xī西
zhǎo爪
de地
jiè介
shào绍
le了
yī一
xià下
qíng情
kuàng况
，
quē缺
fá乏
shēn深
dù度
。
This report only gave a fragmented introduction to the situation, lacking depth.
Tā他
duì对
zhè这
ge个
wèn问
tí题
de的
liǎo了
jiě解
yě也
shì是
dōng东
lín鳞
xī西
zhǎo爪
，
hěn很
bù不
quán全
miàn面
。
His understanding of this issue is also fragmented and very incomplete.
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Zhè这
xiē些
dōng东
lín鳞
xī西
zhǎo爪
de的
cái材
liào料
nán难
yǐ以
pīn拼
còu凑
chū出
wán完
zhěng整
de的
lì历
shǐ史
tú图
jǐng景
。
These scattered fragments of material make it difficult to piece together a complete historical picture.