dawdle at work; work in a slow and slack manner
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to dawdle on the job; to work slowly and lazily
informalOften implies deliberately wasting time or working half-heartedly. Originally used to describe the slow, protracted construction of Western-style ("洋") buildings in early 20th century China.
Tā他
zhěng整
tiān天
zài在
mó磨
yáng洋
gōng工
，
gōng工
zuò作
xiào效
lǜ率
jí极
dī低
。
He dawdles all day, and his work efficiency is extremely low.
Bié别
mó磨
yáng洋
gōng工
le了
，
kuài快
diǎn点
bǎ把
bào报
gào告
xiě写
wán完
。
Stop dawdling; finish the report quickly.
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Zhè这
gè个
xiàng项
mù目
tuō拖
yán延
zhè这
me么
jiǔ久
，
jiù就
shì是
yīn因
wèi为
yǒu有
rén人
zài在
mó磨
yáng洋
gōng工
。
The project has been delayed for so long precisely because some people are slacking off.