skim the surface; do superficial work
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
to skim the surface; to do something superficially without going deep; to work in a perfunctory manner
Originally describes dragonflies touching water to lay eggs; figuratively criticizes work or study that lacks thoroughness. Often used as a verb or predicate.
Xué学
xí习
yào要
shēn深
rù入
zuān钻
yán研
，
bù不
néng能
qīng蜻
tíng蜓
diǎn点
shuǐ水
。
One must study deeply and thoroughly, not just skim the surface.
Tā他
de的
diào调
chá查
bào报
gào告
zhǐ只
shì是
qīng蜻
tíng蜓
diǎn点
shuǐ水
，
méi没
yǒu有
chù触
jí及
shí实
zhì质
wèn问
tí题
。
His investigation report merely skimmed the surface without touching the essential issues.
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Lǐng领
dǎo导
shì视
chá察
gōng工
zuò作
，
bù不
néng能
qīng蜻
tíng蜓
diǎn点
shuǐ水
，
yào要
shēn深
rù入
jī基
céng层
。
When leaders inspect work, they cannot just skim the surface; they must go deep to the grassroots level.
Zuò做
xué学
wèn问
zuì最
pà怕
qīng蜻
tíng蜓
diǎn点
shuǐ水
，
qiǎn浅
cháng尝
zhé辄
zhǐ止
。
The worst thing in scholarship is to skim the surface and stop after a superficial taste.